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CODESPA
Advancing economically, socially, and environmentally sustainable aquaculture through entrepreneurial collaborations between seaweed harvesters and processing companies.
8.4180681631512, 126.3340616
1st
The Philippines ranks 1st in income inequality amongst Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) members.[1]
74%
of Filipinos and 60% of their arable land are adversely affected by typhoons, floods and droughts. The Philippines ranks 3rd globally on the Climate Change Vulnerability List.
60%
of Mindanao’s regions have a 25-40% poverty rate.[3]
The long wait has ended. We expect to earn more income with our new seaweed crops. Now we can plant more and are enthusiastic about our future.
Our Commitment
The Julius Baer Foundation's and CODESPA jointly work to reduce wealth inequality in the seaweed value chain and create shared value amongst private companies and local communities in the Philippines.
The project focuses on:
- generating equitable and sustainable relations between the vulnerable seaweed producers and the seaweed processing company CEAMSA.
- transferring knowledge and technology between disadvantaged seaweed farmers and CEAMSA.
- upscaling existing pilot projects tested in the region with other companies of the seaweed industry in 2022.
- influencing local policies and practices and integrating other stakeholders.
- sharing the model with other relevant actors such as private companies, multilateral agencies, donors, local and international NGOs.
For nearly 10 years the Spanish NGO CODESPA has supported the Philippine's poorest and most vulnerable communities through:
- sustainable rural development
- access to markets
- collaboration between public and private sectors
- microfinance and
- resilience to natural disasters
Since 2016, CODESPA has been collaborating with Spanish seaweed processing company CEAMSA to connect the seaweed producers of Surigao del Sur with the broader marketplace so they can realise better prices for their harvest.
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The Julius Baer Foundation supports CODESPA’s extension of this collaboration to
- develop a plan to strengthen seaweed producers' entrepreneurial and decision-making skills.
- create a Hinatuan seaweed cluster.
- develop a data-based accord on best practices to be followed by producers and processors.
- reach a trade agreement to access markets and fair prices that will help reduce wealth inequality.
- develop a marketing agreement for a seaweed association comprised of both seaweed farmers and processors.
- focus on sound environmental management established in Mindanao, addressing both sustainable seaweed farming and marine conservation.
Another important aspect of the project is to build awareness of the challenges for women seaweed producers and take steps to reduce existing inequalities.
400 seaweed producers in the Province of Hinatuan, Mindanao, including 200 women, participate directly in this project.
15 technical staff and managers from local processing companies work with the producers.
To date, producers have achieved:
- 65% increase in the price per kg of seaweed through direct marketing to exporters, leading to
- 58% increase in producer's income.
Become a Changemaker
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Whether you are an entrepreneur, a scholar, philanthropist or just curious, there are nearly unlimited possibilities to join and play a role in the chain of change.
[1] Source: Gini Index Philippines – World Bank:
https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SI.POV.GINI?locations=PH
[2] Source: Codespa:
https://www.codespa.org/en/projects/la-inclusion-de-productores-de-algas-de-hinatuan-filipinas/
https://psa.gov.ph/sites/default/files/City%20and%20Municipal-level%20Small%20Area%20Poverty%20Estimates_%202009%2C%202012%20and%202015_0.xlsx; publication date: 10 July 2019; publisher: Philippine Statistics Authority. See also:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hinatuan#Economy
[4] Source: Codespa:
https://www.codespa.org/en/projects/la-inclusion-de-productores-de-algas-de-hinatuan-filipinas/
