The Development Academy of the Philippines sa Mindanao invited UP Mindanao to be part of the Mindanao Food Highway (MFH) consortium, through an online discussion on 4 June 2020. The consortium will consolidate efforts in developing and scaling up innovative solutions to ensure food security in Mindanao amidst the COVID-19 disruption, which can be replicated in other parts of the country. It will cover the emergency response phase (3-6 months) and the crisis recovery phase (6-24 months).

The participants in the discussion/briefing from the academe included the University of Southern Mindanao, Ateneo de Zamboanga University, UP Mindanao, Nueva Ecija University of Science and Technology, and Central Luzon State University.

The MFH asked UPMin to help disseminate its surveys to the UP Mindanao network of rice farmers, millers, consolidators, wholesalers/retailers, NFA administrators, local government units, and rice consumers. Students and research fellows are invited to study and produce research in the observatories set up by MFH for food supply and demand, food logistics, and COVID-19 response policies.