Agro-Circularity in Renewable Energy: ACEN Partners with SariSuki to Enhance Farmers’ Livelihoods

ACEN, the energy platform of the Ayala group, has announced a strategic partnership with SariSuki, the Philippines’ largest online platform revolutionizing the agricultural supply chain. The collaboration aims to support local farmers in ACEN’s host communities by providing essential agricultural skills to cultivate suitable crops on the company’s renewable energy sites and streamlining the supply chain to enhance market reach and profitability.

The partnership has launched the Agro-Circularity in Renewable Energy program (ACRE), designed to foster agro-circular economies within the farming communities where ACEN operates. The innovative farm-to-market strategy aims to increase crop yields by 50%, significantly surpassing the national average of eight tons per hectare.

The ACRE program will introduce modern farm management practices to local farmers, nurturing the next generation of “agripreneurs.” Training will cover essential skills such as crop selection, basic business practices like costing, and creating value-added products from their produce. The program also seeks to enhance agricultural infrastructure, ensuring efficient market access from farmers to end-consumers.

“We recognize the numerous challenges facing the agricultural sector in the Philippines, and our partnership with SariSuki transforms these challenges into opportunities,” said Irene Maranan, SVP and head of ACEN’s corporate communication and sustainability. “Not only does this showcase responsible land use by combining agriculture and renewable energy, but the initiative will also help alleviate the plight of local farmers in our host communities, providing them with access to modern farming tools, training, and infrastructure to reach broader markets and improve overall food security.”

Brian Cu, co-founder and CEO of SariSuki, emphasized the importance of the initiative: “The country’s path towards food security is mired with many obstacles, and this partnership intends to tackle these challenges by addressing key points: properly and effectively managing farmlands, capacitating farmers and building on their current skills, and providing them access to consumers.”

The pilot program has begun within ACEN’s Conservation Estate in Ilocos Norte and is set to expand across the company’s other solar and wind projects in the Philippines. The Conservation Estate employs an integrated approach to sustainability, including reforestation, agroforestry, and biodiversity conservation through engagement with the community, farmers, forest rangers, and the local government.