The Gen.T honouree is the founder and CEO of Agrea, an agribusiness that aims to address food insecurity by promoting self-sufficiency through farming
Philippine agriculture has been taking a hit. Despite being a largely agricultural country, farmers and fisherfolk remain among the poorest in the nation. The community is also ageing; from 1966 to 2020, the average age of farmers has increased from 46 to 53 years old. With news reports of inordinately low prices and natural calamities that affect the livelihoods of those in agriculture, finding support for the farming community has become more pressing.
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Among them is 2020 Gen.T honouree Cherrie Atilano, the founder and CEO of Agrea. “Everything is almost reliant on agriculture. However, it is also the least supported sector most of the time,” Atilano shares. “The farmers are having problems with access to better markets, sustainable farming inputs, knowledge transfer, financial support and efficient infrastructure—all contributing to a broken food system and leading to more people in poverty, hungry and malnourished.”
Agrea is based in the Philippine province of Marinduque, where it champions sustainable agriculture through empowerment and education. Though its focus remains heavily on the grassroots communities, international organisations have taken notice. At the Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Atilano was recognised as one of the 2024 Young Global Leader (YGL) Mastercard Fellows.
The initiative, sponsored by the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth, aims to support and empower female leaders. With a theme this year on “Rebuilding Trust”, women like Atilano are given the opportunity to speak on panels and be part of discussions and leader sessions alongside government, business and civil society leaders from more than 120 countries.
For Atilano, the priority on her agenda is to push for greater change in the agriculture sector. “Producing more food that does not jeopardise the planet is a priority,” she says. “I’m focusing my efforts on regenerating the planet through agriculture, connecting the farmers to ethical markets and championing local leadership for the communities of food producers we are working with.”
Atilano has also been recognised as a United Nations High-Level Ambassador for Food Security and Nutrition, along with other inspiring women including Mia Perdomo of Aequales in Colombia, Sophia Hamblin Wang of Mineral Carbonation International in Australia, Stefanie Kurniadi of Foodizz.id in Indonesia, and Dr Sara Saeed Khurram of Sehat Kahani in Pakistan.
