JOINT venture partnerships signed under the Asean Food Security Alliance (AFSA) are expected to strengthen Philippine agriculture by linking farmers and agribusinesses with overseas markets, Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said Saturday.
The agreements were signed through a memorandum of understanding at the Asean Food Security and Agribusiness Summit 2026 held Oct. 10 at Landbank Plaza in Manila.
“This is very significant because you’re directly connecting with business people from one country to the other,” Tiu Laurel told reporters.
AFSA has 29 active joint venture agreements involving Asean member states and international partners, providing a business-led framework for strengthening regional food supplies.
Asean Business Advisory Council (Asean-BAC) chairman Joey Concepcion said the partnerships are projected to generate P35 billion in private sector investments and create more than 30,000 direct and indirect jobs, and connect smallholder Filipino farmers with regional distribution networks.
Among the partnerships signed were between the Philippines’ Harbest Corp. and Singapore’s Inspire Healthcare and Venture Sense; Yovel East Agriventures and Myanmar’s Shwe Ma Naw Myay Trading Company; and the Philippine Rice Industry Stakeholders Movement and India’s Center for Sustainable Agriculture and Development Studies and Capiem Global.
Other partnerships involve Agrea Philippines and Thailand’s Dr. Pump & Engineering; Folk and Feast Land and Indonesia’s Tanivest Agro Development; Varacco and Vietnam’s Coffilia; and Syntegral Global Solutions and Thailand’s Lily Pharma.
Singapore’s FarmAgain also partnered with the Philippines’ BP Ecosystem Equipment and Atolita Farms, while Agrabah Ventures signed deals with Germany’s Planet2050 and TideMRV and Cyprus’ Artemis.
Likewise signed were partnerships between Asean-BAC Philippines and the Natural Resources Development Corp., and between Universal Leaf Philippines and the Philippine Rice Research Institute.
Concepcion, Tiu Laurel and LandBank vice president Danilo Crobalde witnessed the signings, alongside diplomatic representatives and Asean-BAC advisers.
Chynna Grace Ong
