Farming is the major source of income in Isabela; and ASKI, as an organization that provides programs on poverty alleviation in hard-to-reach areas, aspires to contribute to the growing needs of farmers.

With the implementation of its Community Integrated Program (CIDP), ASKI has expanded its microfinance program to cater to the members of the People's Organization, including farmers. Thus, the Organization was able to design a social approach that would best fit the needs of the poor and/or hard-to-reach communitites, that is, a combination of community organizing (CO), community development (CD) and Microfinance (MF).

As a strategy and at the same time promotion to sustainable agriculture, ASKI and PLAN-Philippines recently embarked on a new project dubbed as the Credit Assistance to Farmers for Sustainable Agriculture - Community Organizing Component (CAFSA-COC). The project focuses on the "community organizing" component of the said social undertaking.

The Project aims to provide an integrated approach to wider community development that is participatory, transformational, and community-driven. The community development approach shall compliment the loan service program as provided for in the CAFSA project in Isabela within the target communities in the municipalities of Ilagan, Tumauini, Quirino and San Mariano.

The primary objective of the program is to increase the income levels and improve quality of life of at least 350 farmers and their families within selected target municipalities, through the CO/CD/MF approach.

A fraction of the project assistance program are agricultural loans extended to farmers - particularly individuals who are into organic farming.

In addition, training-seminars on capacity building (a development appraoch that builds independence) were given to People's Organizations focusing on Organizational Assessment and Planning Feasibility Study and Proposal Making.

The promotion of sustainable farming is the major objective of this project. Included to the initiative was the support for organic farming, or the use of natural method in farming without employing the use of chemicals such as fertilizers and pesticides.