COTABATO CITY — Aiming to boost agricultural productivity and economic resilience in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Agrarian Reform (MAFAR) and the Al-Amanah Islamic Investment Bank of the Philippines (AAIIBP) have formally launched the P7.5-million MAFAR Loan for Enhancement of Necessary Development Strategies (MAFARLENDS) program.
The initiative was sealed through a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) signed on July 28 between MAFAR Minister Abunawas Maslamama and AAIIBP Chief Executive Officer Amilbahar Amilasan, Jr., in Cotabato City. The agreement will benefit at least 75 farmers and fisherfolk cooperatives/associations (FFCAs) and agrarian reform beneficiaries’ organizations (ARBOs) across the Bangsamoro region.
MAFARLENDS is designed to provide Shariah-compliant, interest-free financing to help Bangsamoro farmers, fisherfolk, and agrarian reform beneficiaries pursue income-generating agribusiness ventures while observing Islamic financial principles.
“This agreement enables our farmers and fisherfolk to engage in sustainable, profitable ventures while respecting their faith,” said Minister Maslamama. “It also bridges them to wider markets, contributing to the growth of the region’s agriculture sector.”
Target areas for the program include Basilan, Sulu, Tawi-Tawi, Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao del Sur, Maguindanao del Norte, Cotabato City, and the Special Geographic Areas of the region.
AAIIBP Chairman Amilasan hailed the program as a crucial support mechanism for underserved farming and fishing communities. “MAFARLENDS is more than financial assistance—it is our pledge to deliver responsive, quality services to the Bangsamoro people,” he said.
The program complements MAFAR’s ongoing Local Exchange and Network of Goods in any Kind of Emergency (MAFARLENGKE), which aims to directly connect producers and consumers and stabilize market access during emergencies.
It also supports the third priority agenda of the Government of the Day under Bangsamoro Chief Minister Abdulraof Macacua, which focuses on optimizing available resources, boosting revenue generation, and attracting investments in the region.