AGRICULTURE
is considered one of the main drivers of economic growth in the Philippines. In
the 70s, the agriculture industry’s contribution to the Philippine economy was almost
30% but by 2016, the percentage had dropped to 9.65%. World Bank figures paint
a dim picture of the future of the agriculture industry, further exacerbated by
the aging farmer population at an average of 57-59 years old.
Farming has
lost its appeal, especially among the youth, as farmers receive earnings of
around Php 10,000 to 15,000 per harvest and the hard labor and high production
cost it entails. With the increasingly cheap food imports, the recurring
damages caused by yearly floods and droughts, and the woeful lack of
advancement in technology, the Filipino farmer and agriculture industry are
forced to into crisis mode.
“Today, most
farmers do not have bank accounts or access to basic financial services. It’s
about time that we reach out to the farmers and fishermen of the Philippines
and give them a boost with technology. Financial inclusion will help the
livelihood of farmers and fishermen and will also help economic development,”
said Justo Ortiz, Chairman of UnionBank and Blockchain Association of the
Philippines.
TechUp
Pilipinas, a consortium of tech companies and advocates spearheaded by
UnionBank, is determined to provide digital transformation to those who are not
traditionally given access to new technology and financial inclusion, such as
the agriculture industry, in the hope of elevating the sectors to achieve their
true potential.
“With TechUp
Pilipinas and our partners, I’m very proud to be standing with the group of
tech leaders and advocates who are driving change and are passionate about
leading our agriculture industry into digital transformation all the way to the
grassroots,” shared Amor Maclang, Co-convenor of TechUp Pilipinas.
In line with
this commitment, TechUp Pilipinas has brought together the very minds who aim
to challenge and even reverse the negative trend in the growth of the
agriculture industry in the Philippines through the TechUp Pilipinas Agri
Summit and UnionBank 's <U:Hack> Hackathon held last August 25-26 at Events @ Enderun, Azuela Cove, Davao City.
This momentous
event featured technology experts and thought leaders, including Mon Duarte,
Senior Vice President of UnionBank, who shared the bank's vision of financial
inclusion for the agriculture industry; Clint Hassan, Director for Information
and Communications Technology at the Department of Agriculture, who discussed
how to help the agri community through technology; Ann Cuisia, the Founder and
CEO of TraXion, who shared blockchain use cases in Cagayan de Oro and Leyte;
Nico Gonzales, the Director of Marketing and Sales of Xlog, who discussed the
critical role of logistics in agriculture; Mario Salazar, Founder and Chief
Technical and Product Officer of Acudeen Technologies, who spoke on taking a
bet with agribusinesses where others have turned away; and Jayjay Viray,
Founder of Agrigrocer, who shared how her business has been able to bring farm
to table through technology.
Tech advocate
and Co-convenor of TechUp Pilipinas, Amor Maclang, moderated a panel discussion
which included Captain Ronald Go, the President Emeritus of the Davao City
Chamber of Commerce and Industries; Eduardo Descalsota, Jr., the
Techpreneurship Hub Manager of Ateneo de Davao University; and Donna Lina of
logistics giant, Air21.
By bringing
together partners such as UnionBank, professionals, students, and stakeholders
in various disciplines, TechUp Pilipinas continues to challenge the tech
community to help reverse the trend of decline in the agriculture industry
through digital transformation and financial inclusion.
"We
acknowledge that the issues in the agricultural sector cannot be solved by one
company or one person. That’s why, when it comes to financial inclusion and
digital transformation, partnerships are key. TechUp Agri is a way for us to
bring together innovators, stakeholders, government, and tech solution
providers to create solutions to the most immediate problems in the industry,”
said Mon Duarte, Senior Vice President of UnionBank.
For her part,
Ann Cuisia, CEO of TraXion shared blockchain use cases in Cagayan de Oro and
Leyte. She believes that blockchain for transaction management is inevitable.
“We have started doing this already here in Mindanao through partnering with a
large plantation in Bukidnon. We are excited to bring financial freedom and
control to the farmers in the Mindanao region,” said Cuisia.
UnionBank also
organized a two-day hackathon as part of their <U:Hack> series which
challenges developers to identify problems within the agriculture industry and
find tech-based solutions for the issues. Winners received a cash prize and an
opportunity to present their ideas to a panel of judges who could help develop
their hackathon ideas.
“We want to
encourage the youth to become involved in creating innovations for this aging
industry through technology, and by doing so, make it possible for younger
generations to view this industry as a profitable one now and in the
future," said Michelle Rubio, Director of Human Resources at
UnionBank.
The TechUp
Agri series of events includes conferences, hackathons, and a pitchfest in
Davao, Iloilo, and Manila leading up to the ASEAN Agri Summit in October 2018.
For more
information on TechUp Pilipinas, its digital transformation advocacy, and
future events, please contact info@techuppilipinas.com
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