Four organisations representing 14,000 small farmers, agrarian reform beneficiaries, indigenous and marginalised rural people in the Philippines are seeking support from the global community in the suspension of a World Bank-funded project that it says is putting the livelihood and collective land tenure of thousands of farmers in the Philippines in jeopardy.
The project, known as Support to Parcelization of Lands for Individual Titling (SPLIT) Project, has an active investment of 370 million USD by the World Bank and is being implemented by the Philippines Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR).[1]
The organisations say that they have documented the concerns of the 14 farming cooperatives in Davao del Norte and Negros and of over 40 farmers in four municipalities in Leyte, among which are a lack of transparency on the part of the implementing body and the effective undermining of collective land tenure that results from project activity. Collective land tenure was established as part of agrarian reform in the Philippines in 1988 with the aim of redistributing land to the landless poor, farmers and farmworkers. Now, land developers and multinational corporations could buy up huge swathes of rural land through the SPLIT project, taking it out of smallholder ownership permanently. And without opportunities for decent rural work, there are fears of a resurgence of violence and instability at a regional level.
In a letter to the World Bank Board of Directors (sign here), the organisations state:
‘While parcelization is mandatory for non-collective lands, it is optional for collective lands. However, the Philippines Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) – the implementing agency under the SPLIT Project – targeted collective cooperative lands without consulting and informing the agrarian reform beneficiaries of their options. The SPLIT Project has begun to lead to the dissolution of agrarian reform beneficiary cooperatives in the Philippines, and, if it continues, it would result in the demise of agrarian reform efforts. Given the current trend of agrarian land transfer, those who stand to gain long-term from the SPLIT Project are land developers as well as corporate agri-and non-agribusiness conglomerates… In addition, the context in which SPLIT is being implemented is one in which farmers have faced security risks.’
‘(W)e request the World Bank to immediately freeze the SPLIT project funding while serious allegations are investigated …The remaining project funds must not be disbursed without addressing these urgent issues that are upending thousands of livelihoods. Specifically, we urge the World Bank to ensure a meaningful dialogue to discuss our concerns and the on-going issues faced by our communities with the implementation of the SPLIT project. … Continuing the Project without addressing our grievances would result in reputational harm and runs in direct contravention of the World Bank’s Environmental and Social Framework.’
The authors of the letter are grateful for the support of the International Accountability Project, David Bacon, and Oakland Institute.
Who are the organisations behind the letter?
ATFI
The Alter Trade Foundation, Inc. (ATFI), is a non-profit organization, formed in 1997 in order to (1) promote sustainable agriculture among Negros marginal farmers through organic farming; (2) share ecologically sustainable technologies to small farmers; and, (3) provide small farmers with access to affordable credit for their farm production. ATFI currently provides services to 549 agrarian reform beneficiaries (274 women, 275men) organized in 13 small producers’ organizations (SPOs).
FARMCOOP
Foundation for Agrarian Reform Cooperatives in Mindanao (FARMCOOP) is a grassroots organization that was founded by leaders of the agrarian reform cooperative, alongside thousands of farmers in more than 30 cooperatives and associations of agrarian reform beneficiaries, small-scale farmers, and indigenous peoples in Mindanao. The organization is engaged in the agroecological development and transition of the farming cooperatives for sustainability.
KAISAHAN
Kaisahan is a social development organization promoting a sustainable and humane society through the empowerment of marginalized groups in rural areas, especially among farmers and farmworkers, to undertake their own development, participate fully in democratic processes and demand their rightful share in the stewardship of the land and the fruits of their labor.
PAKISAMA
Pambansang Kilusan ng Mga Samahang Magsasaka (PAKISAMA) is a 38 year- old national confederation of currently 75 family farmer organizations, with 74,000 member family farmers in 31 provinces committed to empowering member agri cooperetives and associations achieve asset reforms and sustainable rural development.
[1] https://documents1.worldbank.org/curated/en/099072624060028767/pdf/P17239916282960fb1b36e1c472072e2f15.pdf?_gl=1*c0bnb6*_gcl_au*MTk0NDUyNDUzMC4xNzE5MzI3MTYw
Photograph below: cooperatives fighting for their right to agrarian reform, by David Bacon.
