Access and Benefit-Sharing MOA Signing Strengthens Conservation and Farmer Livelihoods in Bicol

Leslie Pili Products and J. Emmanuel Pastries have entered into Access and Benefit-Sharing Agreements with local communities, Albay Pili and Cacao Industry Association (APCIA), Samahang Organisasyong pang-Kalikasan, Inc. (SOK), San Ramon Mountaineers, Inc. (SRMI), and Naga View Adventist College (NVAC), in Sorsogon City on May 22, 2024.

These agreements aim to enhance biodiversity conservation while providing farmers with both monetary incentives and non-monetary benefits, such as crop and health insurance facilitation, training, seedling provision, and direct market opportunities.

Additionally, DENR Region V and Sorsogon State University (SorSU) have collaborated mainly to develop the Regional Strategic Pili Roadmap and to support other project-related outputs.

These initiatives are facilitated by the ABS Project, led by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources - Biodiversity Management Bureau (DENR-BMB), in partnership with United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Philippines and supported by the Global Environment Facility (GEF).