Gov’t aims to draw former MILF fighters into farming

The Department of Agriculture and the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity (Opapru) are crafting a livelihood program to turn former rebels into farmers.

The two government agencies are collaborating to integrate former communist rebels and members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) into plantation-style agriculture, linking them to private-sector buyers.

Opapru Secretary Mel Sarmiento said many former combatants, particularly those aged 46 to 60, are better suited for farming enterprises than additional technical courses.

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Farm commanders or supervisors would oversee production under this initiative, while private entities could provide support and purchase the harvest of rebel returnees.

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“This is about giving our former combatants a livelihood that can grow with them and with their communities,” Sarmiento said. “If we can connect them to land, markets and private-sector partners, we can turn the peace process into something they can see and feel in their daily lives.”

Sarmiento said local authorities are currently working with about 53,000 combatants, with the Armed Forces of the Philippines conducting dialogues at the barangay level.

Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said agriculture could provide a durable economic foundation for peace by creating jobs, raising rural incomes, and giving rebel returnees a stake in local development.

“Peace becomes stronger when people have something productive to build and a livelihood they can depend on,” Tiu Laurel said.

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“If agriculture can give former combatants and their families income, markets, and a future in their communities, then it can also encourage others to return to the fold,” he added.

Ube and pili are among the crops being considered for this initiative due to their growing popularity, according to government officials.

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Sarmiento said pili emerged as a promising crop, particularly in Samar and Bicol. Its protein-rich skin could be developed for animal feed.

He said there is an increasing growing interest from Korean buyers for pili, which is currently priced at P600 per kilogram.