17/06/2026
A 2-day learning exchange and community visit convening several Pastor Rice Fund (PRF) grantee communities from the Mindanao landscape was successfully conducted last May 2026 in Davao City, Philippines.
During the 2 day event, a space was created for fellow grantee-partners to introduce themselves, share their own experiences, and mutually learn from the best practices in implementing their grant-supported projects. Through this learning exchange, NTFP-EP also facilitated a financial management orientation to aid in the accounting and financial matters of the grantee communities.
NTFP-EP and the participating grantees were also given the opportunity to visit Philippine Eagle Center and Malagos Chocolate Museum, and to meet with the Tinonanon Council of Elders Ancestral Domain Management Office, Inc. (TICADMO) in their office in Arakan, Cotabato.
In a few fragmented conversations with some of the participants, a common theme that arose is the need to preserve Indigenous Knowledge Systems and Practices (IKSPs), culture, and agency to nurture and sustain conservation efforts of the Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (IPs & LCs). When their autonomy and rights to their territories are valued, the whole ecosystem bears the benefits of having empowered IPs & LCs, highlighting women and youth.
