USDA Invests $34.1 Million in Filipino Ube Development, Boosting Global Food Innovation

U.S. Ambassador Lee Lipton honors Davao City Mayor Sebastian Z. Duterte during his inaugural courtesy call on October 22, 2026, strengthening diplomatic ties.

USDA Invests $34.1 Million in Filipino Ube Development, Boosting Global Food Innovation

By Bing Jabadan – TheNATIONWEEK.com | October 26, 2026

MANILA, Philippines – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced a significant $34.1 million award to bolster the ube (purple yam) value chain in the Philippines. This substantial investment, channeled through the Food for Progress Program, aims to support the development of ube as a critical raw material for innovative food and beverage manufacturers worldwide, including those in the United States.

Ambassador H.E. Lee Lipton, the United States Ambassador to the Philippines, made the announcement, highlighting the strategic importance of ube. “I am pleased to announce that the U.S. Department of Agriculture has awarded $34.1 million for a project in the Philippines through the Food for Progress Program to support the development of the ube (purple yam) value chain,” Ambassador Lipton stated, emphasizing ube’s growing global appeal.

The project, slated for implementation by TechnoServe over the next five years, is projected to empower approximately 12,500 Filipino ube farmers. Funding for this initiative is generated from the sale of nearly 40,000 metric tons of U.S. soybean meal.

Beyond its agricultural and economic impact, this award further solidifies the enduring U.S.-Philippines diplomatic and economic partnership, which commemorates its 80th anniversary this year. The investment underscores a shared commitment to sustainable agricultural development and global food security.

Ube’s Global Culinary Rise:

Ube, a vibrant purple yam, has gained international recognition for its distinctive flavor and striking color. It is a cornerstone ingredient in traditional Filipino cuisine, most notably as ube jam (ube halaya) and in the celebrated dessert halo-halo. This popular cold treat combines crushed ice, evaporated milk, and an array of sweetened ingredients, often crowned with a scoop of ube ice cream, making it an unofficial national dessert of the Philippines.

The USDA’s investment acknowledges ube’s expanding culinary influence beyond the Philippines, positioning it as a key ingredient for innovative food and beverage applications across the globe.

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