March 19, 2026 · Villgro Philippines held its NatureNest impact showcase on March 12, 2026, featuring nature-based enterprises that participated in their six-month NatureNest Accelerator Program. The program was a collaborative effort with the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) Philippines and the government of Canada, who provided these enterprises with mentorship, networking, and funding. The convening was open to various people in the field of environmental sustainability, including researchers, impact funders, potential business partners, as well as those interested in learning about nature-based solutions.
What are nature-based solutions?
Nature-based solutions—as the name suggests—are inspired and supported by nature. They are defined by the International Union for Conservation of Nature as “actions to address societal challenges through the protection, sustainable management and restoration of ecosystems, benefiting both biodiversity and human well-being,” although there is no global or agreed upon framework that determines what exactly constitutes a nature-based solution. With a heavily diverse environment, the Philippines could greatly benefit by incorporating these solutions into their businesses.
The nine enterprises who presented the showcase were Anitu Forest Chocolates, Almaciga Resilient Indigenous Solutions for Ecosystems (Almaciga RISE), Dimasalang Egongot Tribe Farmers and Weavers Association Inc. (DETFAWAI), Farmtri AI, Maligue Bamboo-Based Craft & Creative Association, Man. Grove Collective, Sinaya Seafood, Tigasao Community Fishermen Cooperative (TICOFICO), and Sustainable Innovation Farmers Association (SIFA) Davao.
The event opened with speakers from Villgro Philippines, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), and UNDP. Priya Thachadi, Co-Founder and CEO of Villgro Philippines, said that “Without looking after nature, there is no way forward for any of us in the world”, highlighting the need for nature-based solutions to protect the future of the planet and its people.
During the event, attendees were encouraged to vote for their favorite, the winner being presented with the Audience Choice Award. This was awarded to Anitu Forest Chocolates, an artisan chocolate enterprise that uses syntropic farming: an agricultural method focused on keeping soil systems intact by planting various plant, shrub, and tree species close to one another. Anitu also avoids the use of chemical fertilizer and pesticides. Founder Marvi Montecillo said that climate resilience, biodiversity, and sustainable rural employment were unintended, but very welcome, consequences of their business model. They plan on expanding to 30 hectares from their current nine over the next two years.
The event closed with another speech from Thachadi, who emphasized the need to build an ecosystem of support as a lot of these enterprises are impossible without it. She applauded the bravery and resilience in their pursuit of nature-based solutions, which are often a less efficient, more difficult path to take.
“You run out of money, you run out of people, you might have to stop and restart […] They are brave to continue on because they believe these solutions are important,” Thachadi said.
