US embassy lauds WEM-RIC for promoting agribusiness

• Source: http://news.pia.gov.ph/article/view/1371444626231/us-embassy-lauds-wem-ric-for-promoting-agribusiness-
• Tuesday, October 13, 2015

By Gideon C. Corgue (FPG/GCC/PIA9-Zamboanga del Sur)

PAGADIAN CITY (PIA) – The Women Empowerment Movement-Rural Improvement Club (WEM-RIC) has received an accolade from the Embassy of the United States for promoting agricultural entrepreneurship among disadvantaged women in Zamboanga del Sur.

Speaking on Friday before the WME-RIC municipal chapter presidents at Balay Bisaya in Barangay Dao here, Ms. Carolyn B. Glassman, counselor for public affairs section, US Embassy-Manila, said the “US embassy is honored working with the 42,000 WEM-RIC members across the region in that the organization has great potential in utilizing the skills of its members in agricultural entrepreneurship to improve productivity among them.”

The WEM-RIC project, Glassman added, aims to realize the women’s full potential to help augment their incomes as “it endeavors to open other opportunities in agriculture and rural-micro enterprises training.”

Glassman disclosed that the project got funding assistance from the American people through the US State Department “in the hope that the WEM-RIC would achieve great things in the future.

WEM-RIC received a grant of $200 thousand from the US embassy to help empower the women-farmers and entrepreneurs. The grant was secured in October 2014 and was released in February 2015.

Ms. Junaflor Cerilles, WEM-RIC provincial federated president said “the WEMC-RIC members are happy that the US embassy had granted their request to implement the project which would benefit the women-farmers in the province.

“This project aims to contribute to expanding women’s equal opportunities to access and participate in key decisions over agri-based economic resources and technologies, and to provide knowledge and skills to disadvantaged women and men farmers. It also enables them to understand their roles, as well as the importance of sustainable agricultural practices to the livelihoods, food security and overall health and well-being of the family and community,” Cerilles explained.

A total of 810 disadvantaged farmers (675 women and 135 men) across the 27 municipalities of the province shall be benefit from the project, including 27 women organizations.

Cerilles is optimistic that the project may impact the 40,000 women members through knowledge and experience sharing during their regular meetings and activities.