Go Negosyo and the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) agreed to collaborate on agriculture, agribusiness, and mentorship in a bid to improve farm productivity.

Go Negosyo founder Joey Concepcion and DAR Secretary Conrado Estrella III presented the memorandum of agreement (MOA) formalizing the collaboration at the Agraryo Trade Fair Opening Ceremony on Monday, Dec. 1.

The areas of collaboration include cluster farming, corporative farming, and land lease agreements.

“We have to make farming profitable for even our small-holder farmers,” Concepcion said.

He explained that the country can achieve food security by helping farmers become agripreneurs, and with private sector’s help in achieving productivity, efficiency, and market access.

Under cluster farming, smallholder farmers pool resources, share knowledge, and collectively improve productivity through grouping based on agronomic conditions, with defined roles for clusters and private sector partners. Clustering also helps aggregate produce for better market access and pricing.

Corporative farming rests on strategic partnerships between a corporation and an agricultural cooperative, combining the corporate efficiency and standards with the cooperative's inclusive approach.

Under the arrangement, there are clearly defined roles and responsibilities, resource sharing arrangements, provision of farming inputs and infrastructure, training and technical assistance, facilitation of market access through produce aggregation and price negotiations, and arranging access to financial support.

Under land lease agreements, agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) will enter into land lease agreements with "big-brother companies" for the use of agrarian reform lands for agricultural development with clearly defined lease terms, duration, rental payments, and responsibilities.

The smallholder farmers will be supported by Go Negosyo under its Kapatid Angat Lahat sa Agri Program with access to resources, markets, and mentoring by integrating them into the value chain of large agriculture companies.

Under the agreement, DAR is seen to facilitate access to agricultural lands for various farming initiatives, as well as partnerships between agrarian reform beneficiaries and the private sector to enhance productivity and sustainability.

It will also provide the policy, guidance, and protection for farmers to have effective ownership and control of agrarian reform lands while promoting responsible private sector investments.

According to the MOA, the initiative will be overseen by a committee comprising an Executive Steering Committee, a Technical Working Group, and a Secretariat.

Food security has been identified as a priority of the Marcos administration, along with the rebuilding of the food value chain, as a long-term solution to ensuring that the Philippines can afford to feed itself.

Concepcion is pursuing agriculture and food security as one of the priorities of his chairship of the Association of Southeast Asian (ASEAN) Business Advisory Council in 2026 as part of its planned legacy program, the ASEAN Food Security Alliance.