Grab empowers Davao City women entrepreneurs with local partners

Women farmer-entrepreneurs in Davao City are set to gain a new market channel as Grab Philippines, the Rural Improvement Club (RIC) Davao City Federation Inc., and the Davao City Government partner to bring locally grown produce to consumers through digital commerce.

Under the partnership, participating RIC farmers will soon sell their produce through RIC Daily Fresh, a dedicated digital storefront on GrabMart, while also establishing an offline selling space at Agdao Public Market.

The initiative is designed to give small farming communities greater access to consumers while helping women farmer-entrepreneurs expand their market reach, improve product visibility, and develop additional sources of income.

RIC Davao City Federation Inc. is a women-led organization involved in farming, livelihood development, and community crafts.

Grab Asenso: Digital Diskarte, Grab’s technology and AI enablement program for MSMEs, will complement the initiative by providing RIC members with practical training in product presentation, digital marketing, order management, customer engagement, and online marketplace operations.

The learning session is being co-facilitated by the International Trade Centre (ITC), a joint agency of the United Nations and the World Trade Organization.

The training aims to help participating farmers adapt to changing consumer habits and develop the skills needed to operate in digital marketplaces.

“Digitalization should not require MSMEs to build every capability from the ground up,” said Grab Philippines Vice President for Cities RJ Cabaluna. “By opening existing digital roads to farming communities, we are reducing the cost, complexity, and distance that often stand between local producers and economic opportunity. We see this pilot farm-to-market partnership with RIC and the Davao City LGU as a model for how technology, government, and communities can work together to make growth more inclusive.”

For RIC, the initiative is also about strengthening the capacity of women to manage and grow their own enterprises.

“For RIC, progress means giving women the confidence, knowledge, and decision-making power to turn local resources into sustainable livelihoods,” said Josie S. Osorio, President of RIC Davao City Federation Inc. “We see RIC Daily Fresh as an opportunity for our members to lead together, understand their customers better, and build an enterprise that creates lasting value for their families and communities.”

Davao City Councilor Al Ryan Alejandre, Chairperson of the Committee on Cooperative Development and People’s Participation, said the city government will continue to support RIC as it expands its market presence.

“Our role in government is to make it easier for community enterprises like RIC to grow and participate in new markets,” Alejandre said. “Their forthcoming space at Agdao Public Market will serve as an important physical hub for their operations, while GrabMart opens another channel for them to reach consumers across the city.”

The Davao City Agriculturist’s Office (CAgrO) will provide technical and institutional support to ensure that the initiative complements the city’s agricultural development programs.

“A strong agricultural system must consider the entire journey of produce, from what farmers plant to how their harvest reaches the market,” said Dr. Antonio R. Obsioma, Acting Department Head of the Davao City Agriculturist’s Office.

“Better market access and information can help farmers anticipate demand, make more informed production decisions, and reduce the risk of produce being left unsold,” Obsioma added. “This pilot gives the city another tool to build a more responsive and efficient local food system.”

The partnership reflects a broader effort to connect agricultural communities with digital commerce and address challenges faced by small producers, including limited market visibility, fragmented selling channels, and difficulty reaching consumers directly.

By combining a physical market presence at Agdao Public Market with a digital storefront on GrabMart, RIC members will have both offline and online channels to bring their products closer to consumers.

For Grab, the initiative also expands its efforts to help livelihood groups and small enterprises participate in the digital economy, while demonstrating how collaboration among the private sector, government, and community organizations can create new market opportunities for local producers.