COTABATO CITY — The People In Need (PIN), a Czech-based non-profit organization, paid a courtesy visit to the Ministry of Environment, Natural Resources, and Energy (MENRE) – BARMM on 26 October 2021 to seek support and assistance in obtaining valuable insights into the market situations of relevant agri-value chains.

PIN provides humanitarian and development assistance in more than 20 countries. In the Philippines, they launched their humanitarian operations in 2013 after Typhoon Yolanda hit Eastern Samar.

Forest Management Services (FMS) Director Abdul-Jalil S. Umngan, Forest Management Specialists Faisal U. Akmad and Sobair M. Macabinta, and Chief of Planning Division Jessie S. Ondoy received the visit from PIN through their Market System Development Advisor Francesco Melara.

Advisor Melara expressed PIN’s intention of designing a value-chain project focusing on diversified halal-compliant agri/aquaculture, livestock and horticulture market linkage.

Melara added that the end objective of the project is to contribute to the sustainable increased income among marginalized farmers while ensuring that circular economy principles remain an integral part of these development initiatives.

The MENRE, on the other hand, said that it is willing to extend support and assistance to PIN to aid in the formulation of a value-chain design that will help our Bangsamoro farmers.