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LANDBANK is stepping up its game to support a thriving and sustainable food system across the nation! From November 19 to 23, 2025, in Bacolod City, the bank showcased its awesome financing programs, capacity-building projects, and digital solutions at the first-ever Terra Madre Asia & Pacific.
This exciting event, part of the global Slow Food Movement, gathered over 2,000 farmers, fishers, international chefs, indigenous leaders, and passionate advocates from the region. Together, they championed “good, clean, and fair” food, biodiversity conservation, and a sustainable food system.
LANDBANK President and CEO Lynette V. Ortiz shared, “Our partnership with Slow Food aligns perfectly with our mission for sustainable and inclusive agriculture. Together, we’re focused on strengthening local food systems, empowering our farmers and fishers, and making sure every Filipino can access nutritious, clean, and fairly produced food.”
Founded in Italy in 1989, the Slow Food movement is all about preserving local food cultures, age-old farming practices, and our rich biodiversity. It stands for food that’s not only delicious but also environmentally friendly and fairly priced for producers. Today, Slow Food operates in over 160 countries, working closely with communities to encourage sustainable, community-centered food systems.
“Good, clean, and fair food for all is a basic human right. To achieve this, we need to protect our biodiversity and environment, as these ideas are deeply connected to supporting our farmers and ensuring everyone can access quality food,” stated Reena Gamboa, the Executive Director of Terra Madre.
Building on these ideals, LANDBANK’s agricultural programs focus on enhancing connections throughout the value chain. The bank’s financial and digital services support community-driven initiatives, providing everyone from producers to markets with the tools they need to flourish.
As a key sponsor of Terra Madre Asia & Pacific 2025, LANDBANK showcases its dedication to the Slow Food mission by promoting sustainable agriculture, ensuring food security, conserving biodiversity, and fostering climate-resilient, community-driven value chains.
Integrated Support for Farmers and Fishers
On November 20, LANDBANK First Vice President Allan R. Bisnar unveiled AGRISENSO Plus, the bank’s premier lending program. This fantastic initiative offers complete support across the value chain by blending credit, technical assistance, and digital solutions, all while providing free life and credit life insurance. It’s crafted to empower small farmers and fishers by offering tailored financing, market connections, and valuable data insights to enhance productivity.
With AGRISENSO Plus, small farmers, fishers, and agrarian reform beneficiaries enjoy a reduced fixed interest rate of just 3% per annum! Plus, competitive rates are available for associations, cooperatives, MSMEs, large firms, anchor companies, and agriculture graduates.
“AGRISENSO Plus is our way of boosting the whole agricultural value chain. By marrying accessible financing, skill-building, and digital solutions, we’re equipping our farmers and food producers to succeed in an ever-changing world and to keep our local food systems resilient and sustainable,” emphasized LANDBANK PCEO Ortiz.
Additionally, LANDBANK’s ASCEND (Agri-Fishery Support through Capability Enhancement for Nationwide Development) initiative provides valuable training in digital financial literacy, sustainable agriculture, and entrepreneurship.
As of September 2025, LANDBANK has approved over P1.96 billion in loans under the AGRISENSO Plus program, benefiting more than 12,300 borrowers nationwide. Most of these borrowers are small farmers and fishers following successful launches in agricultural hotspots like Pampanga, Cagayan, Isabela, Batanes, Bukidnon, Iloilo, Palawan, and Negros Occidental.
Driving Inclusion and Digital Adoption
LANDBANK also showcased its innovative digital solutions, particularly the new P2M (Person-to-Merchant) QR payment facility, launched in Negros Occidental. This cool service allows consumers to enjoy waived transfer fees for purchases under ₱500 using QRPh-P2M through the LANDBANK Mobile Banking App, other bank apps, or digital wallets.
For LANDBANK P2M merchants, the waived transaction fees promote the use of digital payments. This means farmers, MSMEs, and local businesses can receive payments faster, more securely, and conveniently—reducing cash-handling risks and encouraging digital inclusion in farming communities. It’s simple for business owners to join, as they can enroll their existing LANDBANK accounts, with activation happening within 24 to 48 hours.
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