FOUR indigenous-led enterprises in Mindanao will receive P4.4 million in seed grants funded by the New Zealand government to help them improve production and expand their businesses, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) said.

In a statement, the UNDP said the grants will support enterprises under the Indigenous Women and Girls-Leadership and Empowerment in Ancestral Domains (I-LEAD) Project, which the agency implements with the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP).

"The grants aim to strengthen Indigenous enterprises and expand economic opportunities for Indigenous Cultural Communities/Indigenous Peoples (ICCs/IPs)," the UNDP said.

The four recipients are the Ata Women Association of Paquibato District, Davao City; the Datu Danwata Women's Association of Malita, Davao Occidental; the Manobo Farmers' Association of Magpet, Cotabato; and the Maitum-Kiamba CADT 154 Service Care Association of Sarangani.

"The seed grants aim to help the Indigenous-led enterprises strengthen their businesses, improve production, and develop their products to support long-term growth," the UNDP said.

Seed grants — funding that, unlike a loan, does not have to be repaid — are generally directed at early-stage needs such as production inputs, equipment, and product development.

Enterprises Rooted in Ancestral Domains

The grantees produce goods using local materials sourced from their ancestral domains, including woven bags and baskets, beadwork accessories, abaca crafts, and various food products.

Mindanao, the second-largest island in the Philippine archipelago, is home to numerous ethnolinguistic Indigenous groups, many of whom depend on crafts and farm-based products from their traditional lands for their livelihoods. Abaca, a banana-plant fiber native to the Philippines and a major national export, is among the raw materials commonly used in such handcrafted goods. The Philippines is the world's leading producer of abaca fiber, accounting for the bulk of global supply.

Program Background

United Nations agencies and Indigenous peoples' organizations commonly estimate the Philippines' Indigenous population at 14 to 17 million people across more than 100 ethnolinguistic groups.

The NCIP, created under the Philippines' 1997 Indigenous Peoples' Rights Act, is the primary government agency charged with protecting the rights of Indigenous Cultural Communities and Indigenous Peoples. Under that law, a Certificate of Ancestral Domain Title (CADT) formally recognizes an Indigenous community's rights over its traditional territory — the designation referenced in the name of the Maitum-Kiamba CADT 154 association in Sarangani.

The I-LEAD Project centers on Indigenous women and girls, working to build leadership and economic empowerment within ancestral domains.

UNDP Resident Representative in the Philippines Christophe Bahuet said the Indigenous Peoples' economy holds strong potential in Mindanao.

"With support from New Zealand, and working with NCIP through the I-LEAD Project, UNDP empowers and capacitates IP women to gain business skills and access new markets," he said.

The announcement did not specify how the P4.4 million will be divided among the four associations or when the funds will be released.

— with reporting by Justine Irish D. Tabile, BusinessWorld

Source: BusinessWorld