Farming Freedom: How Former Rebels Found Peace and Hope in the Fields

Across parts of Mindanao and other rural areas once marked by conflict, former members of the Communist Party of the Philippines–New People’s Army–National Democratic Front (CPP–NPA–NDF) are rebuilding their lives through farming. Their stories reflect a broader shift from armed struggle to productive livelihood and community reintegration.

For decades, many peasants and Indigenous peoples were drawn into the communist movement, often out of frustration over poverty, landlessness, and inequality. The promise of change through revolution, however, led many into hardship and isolation. Today, after leaving the armed movement, a growing number of former rebels are returning to agriculture — not just to survive, but to rebuild.

Through the government’s Enhanced Comprehensive Livelihood Integration Program (E-CLIP) and local reintegration initiatives, they have gained access to livelihood assistance, farm inputs, and training on sustainable agricultural practices. These programs aim to help them earn livelihood and rejoin their communities as productive citizens.

Seeds of Change

One of them is Ka Elmo, a former rebel from Paquibato who is now able to tend his own parcel of land for farming, thanks to the help of local government and partner agencies.

“When I decided to return to farming, I was scared at first,” he said in Cebuano. “But when I saw the support from the government and my community, I felt hope. This land is my home, and I want to take care of it.”

Another is Tam, a Lumad farmer from Talaingod.

“I’m happy that I can now farm without fear,” he said. “Working with my family on our ancestral land gives us strength. We just want to protect it for our children.”

For many former rebels, tilling the soil has become both symbolic and practical — a way to reclaim their identities and restore ties to their communities. Farming represents stability, dignity, and a renewed sense of purpose after years of displacement and uncertainty.

Reintegration Through Agriculture

Community-based livelihood programs have proven essential in this process. Former rebels who once carried weapons now cultivate rice, corn, and root crops; others raise livestock or manage small agribusiness ventures. Beyond income, these activities reinforce trust between returnees and their communities, helping dispel stigma and rebuild social bonds.

Local peace and order councils have noted that agricultural support and livelihood training are among the most effective measures to prevent recruitment by communist remnants and to sustain peace in former conflict-affected areas.

A Timely Reflection

Their stories gain added significance this October, which marks both the Peasant Month and the Indigenous Peoples’ Month. The path they have chosen — from conflict to cultivation — mirrors the broader aspiration for inclusive development and social justice for farmers and Indigenous communities.

Peace, as these former rebels have learned, is not only achieved through negotiations or ceasefires. It is also found in the quiet work of planting, nurturing, and harvesting — in the daily acts that restore both land and life.

For them, farming is no longer just a livelihood. It is freedom — a return to roots, a renewal of faith in community, and a concrete expression of peace taking root in the countryside.