The Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity (OPAPRU) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Kennemer Group, a Philippine-based international agri-business organization, to enhance peace and development in former conflict-affected areas through agriculture and climate solutions.
In a statement Thursday, April 24, the OPAPRU said the MOU will focus on empowering former combatants, indigenous peoples (IPs), and other marginalized groups through capacity-building training, market access facilitation, and financial support.
The pact was signed by OPAPRU Sec. Carlito Galvez Jr. and Kennemer Group CEO Simon Bakker at the OPAPRU headquarters in Pasig City last April 22.
The MOU between the OPAPRU and the Kennemer Group is the first commercial enterprise agreement forged by the peace agency under its convergence framework.
The partnership, Galvez explained, aims to boost forest protection, biodiversity conservation, and localized development efforts that will leverage public and private sector investments.
Kennemer affirmed its commitment to help ensure the successful implementation of the Normalization Program for former Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) combatants as it witnessed the “remarkable transformation” taking place in the communities in Cotabato, Davao Oriental, and South Cotabato.
“This MOU is expected to have a significant impact on the lives of our beneficiaries, especially among small farmers and indigenous peoples’ communities. The peace has arrived, and former combatants and their families will now participate in robust trade and commerce as active participants of the economy,” Galvez said.
The peace adviser underscored that the partnership serves as a testament to the national government’s whole-of-society approach in bringing long-lasting peace and sustainable development to the country.
For his part, Bakker said that the Kennemer Group and OPAPRU, though operating from different lenses, ultimately strive to address similar concerns: poverty, land tenure issues, and environmental degradation.
“If these issues remain unresolved, we cannot establish lasting peace. And without lasting peace, we cannot create real economic opportunities or uplift lives in rural areas,” Bakker stressed.
He said Kennemer's approach to development is both broad and deep, with tried and tested models of horizontal and vertical business integrations.
Founded in the early 2000s, Kennemer is engaged in sustainable and inclusive agriculture, focusing on integrating smallholder farmers into its supply chain. The company provides technical support, financial assistance, and access to global markets in line with its mission of promoting rural development and environmental sustainability.