Federation of Free Farmers

Federation of Free Farmers
Name	Federation of Free Farmers
Formation	1953
Founder	Crisanto Evangelista
Type	Agricultural organization
Headquarters	Quezon City
Location	Philippines
Leader title	President

Federation of Free Farmers The Federation of Free Farmers is a Philippine peasant organization founded in the 1950s that has played a role in rural activism and agrarian reform movements. It has engaged with national institutions such as the Department of Agrarian Reform, regional bodies like the Asian Farmers’ Association, and international forums including the Food and Agriculture Organization and the International Fund for Agricultural Development. The federation has interacted with political parties, religious groups, and labor unions during periods marked by events such as the People Power Revolution and policy shifts under administrations like those of Ferdinand Marcos, Corazon Aquino, and Rodrigo Duterte.

History

The organization's origins trace to post‑war agrarian unrest linked to land disputes in provinces such as Nueva Ecija, Isabela, and Pampanga, with early activism paralleling movements like the Hukbalahap Rebellion and reactions to laws such as the Land Reform Act of 1952. During the 1960s and 1970s the federation responded to rural crises triggered by the Green Revolution and trade policies negotiated under the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade negotiation rounds. Under the Martial Law (Philippines) era the federation navigated repression comparable to incidents involving groups like the Kilusan ng mga Anak ng Bayan and organizations affected by decrees such as Presidential Decree No. 27. In the post‑Martial Law period the federation took part in coalitions during the administrations of Corazon Aquino and Fidel V. Ramos, participated in policy discussions on the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program, and engaged with international actors at conferences hosted by entities including the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank.

Organization and Structure

The federation's governance comprises a national council, provincial chapters, and barangay‑level committees mirroring structures found in groups such as the National Farmers Union and the Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas. Leadership roles—president, secretary‑general, treasurer—have interfaced with institutions like the Commission on Elections when participating in partylist mechanisms akin to Butil (party-list). The federation has established affiliated cooperatives modeled after standards promoted by the Cooperative Development Authority and has partnered with universities such as the University of the Philippines and Ateneo de Manila University for capacity building. Funding streams have included member dues, grants from foundations like the Ford Foundation and the Asian Development Bank, and programmatic support from agencies including the Department of Agriculture and the Overseas Development Institute.

Membership and Activities

Membership draws smallholder farmers, tenant cultivators, and agricultural workers from regions including Cebu, Bukidnon, Laguna, and Palawan. The federation organizes training in sustainable techniques informed by research from institutions such as the International Rice Research Institute and the Philippine Rice Research Institute, and promotes crop diversification in collaboration with groups like SEARICE and Haribon Foundation. Activities include land tenure documentation linked to land cases filed with the Supreme Court of the Philippines, livestock and seed distribution alongside organizations such as Philippine Carabao Center, and market linkage initiatives that reference practices seen in Rustan's supply chains and community supported agriculture pilots engaged with municipal governments like Marikina.

Political Advocacy and Influence

The federation has lobbied for statutory reforms, engaging legislative bodies including the House of Representatives of the Philippines and the Senate of the Philippines on bills related to the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program Extension with Reforms and agricultural tariff schedules debated in hearings involving the Tariff Commission. It has allied with advocacy networks like the National Democracy movement, collaborated with labor federations such as the Kilusan ng Manggagawang Pilipino, and participated in coalitions that influenced platforms of parties including the Lakas–CMD and Liberal Party (Philippines). The federation has also petitioned international mechanisms such as the International Labour Organization and engaged in fact‑finding missions with human rights groups like Amnesty International and the Commission on Human Rights of the Philippines.

Programs and Services

Programs span legal aid for agrarian disputes often presented before the Land Registration Authority and the Department of Agrarian Reform Adjudication Board, capacity building with curricula co‑developed with the University of the Philippines Los Baños, and livelihood projects piloted with support from the United Nations Development Programme and Oxfam. Services include cooperative formation registered under the Cooperative Development Authority, microcredit linked to models used by Kabalikat sa Kaunlaran, and technical extension services paralleling work by the Bureau of Plant Industry and the Bureau of Soils and Water Management. The federation has implemented organic agriculture trials in partnership with IFOAM affiliates and participated in climate adaptation initiatives promoted by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.

Criticism and Controversies

Critics have accused the federation of political partisanship similar to controversies involving Anakpawis and Nationalist People's Coalition affiliates, of conflicts over cooperative governance resembling disputes involving the Cooperative Development Authority, and of internal splits akin to schisms within groups like the Kilusan ng mga Magbubukid. Allegations have arisen concerning land claim litigations heard in the Supreme Court of the Philippines and procedural disputes involving the Department of Agrarian Reform. The federation's engagement with international funders such as the World Bank and Asian Development Bank has attracted scrutiny from NGOs like Bayan and academics at the De La Salle University regarding policy influence and conditionalities tied to loan programs.

Category:Agricultural organisations based in the Philippines