Butuan is an agricultural city in the Philippines with 400,000 people living in a 82,686-hectare area. The land is suitable for food production, but it only covers 18% of the local population needs. Butuan has the potential to become the food basket for the whole Caraga region, but it currently depends heavily on imports, which increases the affordability of fresh produce.
Purchasing local vegetables is 50% more expensive than other cities in the country. About 80,000 of the residents live under the poverty line and the price of vegetables influences their purchase capacity.
The city of Butuan decided to change that.
The City of Butuan has established an innovative and inclusive agri-business ecosystem by increasing local vegetable supply with sufficient affordable and sustainable grown vegetables by using technological innovations.
The AgriBOOST project acts upon the local agricultural market. It enables farmers, vendors, and other value-chain players, creating capacities and fairer market conditions.
The coordination of activities in the AgriBOOST business model starts from the pre-orders from buyers using the AgriMart mobile app. In response, AgriHub will issue a Marketing Agreement. Pre-orders will then be consolidated and analyzed to become the market demand. Demand data will be fed by the AgriHub to the farmers as contract growers.
Farmers will express their respective commitments to produce relatively to the demand, using the AgriBloom mobile app. Afterwhich, AgriHub will issue a supply agreement, indicating the time to deliver, quantity and farm gate price.
Along the vegetable value chain, government agencies, academy and private sector partners will provide technical and production inputs assistance, as well as stimulus package. An enterprise resource planner acts as the IT support to the project components. Whereas AgriBOOST Comms engages all sectors in the community for a vibrant and food-sufficient culture.
Provides access to production support (inputs, facilities and financing). Support capacity-building in scientific agricultural practices and digital literacy.
Provides a digital platform for farmers and vendors to initiate contracts at mutually beneficial dynamic and fair prices. Provide a warehouse where quality assurance, vegetable preparation and exchange of goods and money occurs.
Deploys marketing strategies to drive farmer uptake, engage with vendors, and promote increased vegetable consumption by Butuan residents.
Organizes small-scale vendor groups. Support capacity-building in proper food handling and digital literacy.
With the AgriHub vegetable consolidation facility and AgriBloom mobile app, the Project aims to increase farmers income through access to guaranteed markets via the contract growing scheme for their vegetable produce bought at fair prices.
With the AgriHub vegetable consolidation facility and AgriMart mobile app, the Project aims to increase vendors profit through access to reliable supply of vegetables sold at fair prices.
The project increases the local vegetable production through increased incomes for the farmers resulting in increased interest in producing better quality and greater quantity of vegetables. Further, the adoption of good agricultural practices is anticipated to increase the per unit yield of the farmers contributing to overall increase in the local vegetable production.
space
On 20 February 2025, UNDP released the case study of the city of Butuan, in the Philippines, “Strengthening local food production by improving market access”, showcasing how the city has successfully increased local food production and consumption as one of the 2021 Mayors Challenge winners.
space
space
