Unlocking the Potential of the AFRD: A Holistic Approach to Derisking Smalholder Agri-Value Chains
How do we transform mandatory banking sector compliance into profitable, climate-resilient credit for Filipino farmers and fisherfolk?
Driven by the strategic reforms of the Agriculture, Fisheries, and Rural Development (AFRD) Financing Enhancement Act of 2022 (RA No. 11901), this forum bridges the gap between high-level policy, commercial banking capital, and cutting-edge agri-tech.
We will explore how to move beyond traditional "hard collateral" (Real Estate Mortgages) by leveraging plot-level data, digital credit scoring, and rapid-payout parametric insurance as valid credit risk mitigants.
Join leading financial regulators, banking executives, and climate innovators as we map out an actionable blueprint to integrate parametric insurance into AFRD sustainable finance (SusFin) frameworks.
Key Highlights: ● Eliminate hard collateral requirements for agricultural loans ● Parametric Insurance as a credit de-risking tool ● Activate the 10x Multiplier under the AFRD Enhancement Act ● Unlock Blue Finance and ESG Capital
Speakers ▪️ Dr. Wiliam Dar — Senior Adviser for Agriculture & Food Security, ASEAN Business Advisory Council (Former Department Of Agriculture Secretary) (Keynote)
First Panel: Digital De-Risking: From Agri-tech to Credit
How Agri-tech and digital tools convert agricultural uncertainty into quantifiable, decision-grade credit risk enabling direct AFRD lending without hard collateral
▪️ Dir. Rallen O. Verdadero, Executive Director, Agricultural Credit Policy Council Department of Agriculture
▪️ Pat Erick Buna, Co-Founder & CEO, Golden Forage
▪️ Noel D. Raboy, President & CEO, CLIMBS Insurance
Second Panel: Climate & Blue Finance: Scaling Parametric Solutions
Aligning AFRD financing with SFTG/ESG standards and scaling parametric risk transfer through Blue Bonds, impact investing, and institutional lending channels for fisherfolk and farmers.
▪️ Justine Calangian, Manager, Program Development & Management, Development Bank of the Philippines
▪️ Noreen Marian Bautista, Senior Manager, Innovative Finance, RARE
▪️Patricia Anika D. Haxton Division Head of Sustainable Development Finance, BPI
Presented by the Philippine Agri-Tech Consortium