Bridging the Gaps: Linking the Farmers to
Appropriate MarketsThe Kasilak Development Foundation Inc. (KDFI)
Initiatives and Experience in Maragusan, Compostela Valley Province, Philippines
Joemil Saloma MontebonExecutive Director, KDFI
Presentation to the FAO-Vredeseilanden Sub-Regional Seminar on Enhancing Capacity of NGOs and Farmers Group in Linking Farmers to Markets
9-12 May 2006, Bali, Indonesia
FAO-VREDESEILANDEN Subregional Seminar on Enhancing NGO’s and Farmer Groups to Link Farmers to Markets
Name of Organization: Kasilak Development Foundation Inc. (KDFI)
Date Organized: Organized in 1997; result of a learning-experience from the Libuganon Watershed Project in Davao del Norte – a 500 has. watershed development project co-funded by USAID and Dole-Stanfilco
Nature of Organization: duly registered with Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) as a non-stock, non-profit social development organization
Membership and Affiliation: • VOICE Network Philippines, a national organization of volunteer organizations • Protected Area Management Board (PAMB) for Mt. Kalatungan Range Natural Park • Sarangani Province Empowerment and Community Transformation Forum (SPECTRUM)
Provincial Areas of Operations: Bukidnon, North Cotabato, South Cotabato, Davao City, Compostela Valley Province, Sarangani
Partners: - Catholic Relief Services (CRS) – USCCB Philippine Program - International Center for Research on Agroforestry (ICRAF)/ World
Agroforestry Research Center- Stanfilco, A Division of Dole Philippines- Pilipino Banana Growers and Exporters Association (PBGEA)- Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP)- Local Government Units (LGUs)/ DENR/ DepEd- Other NGOs i.e. Mahintana Foundation Inc.,
FAO-VREDESEILANDEN Subregional Seminar on Enhancing NGO’s and Farmer Groups to Link Farmers to Markets
Institutional Programs...
Watershed and Natural Resource Management
Livelihood and Income Augmentation
Support to Basic Social Services:• Education
• Health
Partnership Development and Linkage Building
Program Strategies...
Program Development and Resource Mobilization
Strengthening of Community-based Organizations
and their structures
FAO-VREDESEILANDEN Subregional Seminar on Enhancing NGO’s and Farmer Groups to Link Farmers to Markets
Other Development Players and/ orStakeholders
Community Development and Environmental
Management
Corporate Sectors/ Business Community
Corporate Sectors/ Business Community
Government Sector i.e. LGU (Mun./ Brgy.) &
Gov’t Line Agencies
Government Sector i.e. LGU (Mun./ Brgy.) &
Gov’t Line Agencies
Civil Society/ NGOs/ POsKasilak Development
Foundation Inc. (KDFI)
Civil Society/ NGOs/ POsKasilak Development
Foundation Inc. (KDFI)
Community
Community
Resource Providers andDonor Community
Resource Providers andDonor Community
Other Development Players and/ orStakeholders
Community
Community
Engaging the Stakeholders: Strategic Framework on Partnership and Community Development
FAO-VREDESEILANDEN Subregional Seminar on Enhancing NGO’s and Farmer Groups to Link Farmers to Markets
Location of Maragusan
Compostela Valley Province,
Region XI
Municipality of Maragusan
• Situated in the Eastern Mindanao Corridor covering 11 Municipalities/ Towns• Elevation Range: • Total land area: 54,745 hectares - 46,771 Forest/ Upland Area (85.4 %)
- 7,973 A & D (14.6 %)
FAO-VREDESEILANDEN Subregional Seminar on Enhancing NGO’s and Farmer Groups to Link Farmers to Markets
Major Development Concerns...
Municipality of Maragusan, ComVal Province
• Low Agricultural Productivity
• Environmental Degradation
• In adequate Infrastructure
• Limited Access to Basic Social Services
• Underdeveloped Tourism Potentials
FAO-VREDESEILANDEN Subregional Seminar on Enhancing NGO’s and Farmer Groups to Link Farmers to Markets
The Maragusan Valley Area ResourceDevelopment (MaVARD) Project
communities
communities communities
• Agriculture-Extension
• Natural-Resource Management• Agro-Enterprise Development and Support to Marketing
• Community Infrastructure Support
Our Response:
Components:
FAO-VREDESEILANDEN Subregional Seminar on Enhancing NGO’s and Farmer Groups to Link Farmers to Markets
Project Background• The implementation of MaVARD Project is supported by CRS-USCCB Philippine Program under its Small Farms and
Marketing Program together with Stanfilco, A Division of Dole Philippines Inc. and the Local Government Unit (LGU) of Maragusan.
• The Maragusan Valley Area Resource Development (MaVARD) Project started in February 2005 and has two phases:– Phase 1: Community Organizing through Participatory Action
Research (CO-PAR)– Phase 2: Implementation of development interventions
identified in Phase 1
• During the second half of the year, two complementary sub-projects were also developed:– Maragusan Integrated Natural Resource Conservation and
Development (MINARD) Project – Maragusan Livelihood and Enterprise Development Center
Project (MLEDC)
FAO-VREDESEILANDEN Subregional Seminar on Enhancing NGO’s and Farmer Groups to Link Farmers to Markets
MaragusaMaragusann
SurigaoSurigao
Tagum City
Agusan del Agusan del NorteNorte
Davao Davao CityCity
Agusan del Agusan del SurSur
Maragusan Valley Vegetable Flow
LeyteLeyteMajor Crops• Chayote• Tomatoes• Bell Pepper• Coffee• Squash • Beans• Eggplant
FAO-VREDESEILANDEN Subregional Seminar on Enhancing NGO’s and Farmer Groups to Link Farmers to Markets
Agri-Marketing assistance in Maragusan Valley
Farmer Level Institutional Level
• Formation and training of Commodity Groups (Clusters) in the partner communities
• Market opportunities identification / Market assessment with existing products
• Market visits
• Enterprise design and implementation
• Trial Deliveries, Assessment
• Scaling-up
• Support for the opening and operation of the Maragusan Trading Post
• Support for the organization and training of commodity-based (Community Vegetable Associations, etc.) and sectoral (Rural Improvement Club and Municipal Council of Women) groups
• Support for the establishment and operation of the Maragusan Livelihood and Enterprise Development Center
• Support for the training and capacity building of key LGU Staff (MEEDO)
FAO-VREDESEILANDEN Subregional Seminar on Enhancing NGO’s and Farmer Groups to Link Farmers to Markets
Territorial Approach to Agro-Enterprise/ Marketing:A tool for community empowerment and enterprise development(as adapted in the Philippines from CIAT-CRS Learning Alliance)1. Site Identification
2. Partnership Development
CRS – NGO – Farmers – LGU – Business Sector
3. Community Involvement/ Working Group for COPAR
• Data Gathering
• Market Opportunities/Choices
4. Enterprise Planning
5. Enterprise Plan Implementation
• Test Market (Trial Deliveries)
• Evaluation
Improvements
Scaling-Up
FAO-VREDESEILANDEN Subregional Seminar on Enhancing NGO’s and Farmer Groups to Link Farmers to Markets
Site/ Area Focused Approach
Nestle Phils., Inc.
B-Meg Corn
Supplier
Brgy Magcagon
g
Brgy Saranga
Brgy Mahayaha
y
Brgy Parasanon
Brgy Tupas
Brgy New Albay
Vegetable Group
Coffee Group
Vegetable Group
Vegetable Group
Vegetable Group
Corn Group
Rice Group
NCCC Mall Maragusan Wholesaler
s & RetailersDavao Traders
Coffee Group
Short-listed major commodities & identified potential farmer partners
Training on Marketing, conducting Market Research and Economics of Production
Market Research and Market Visit
Maragusan Bagsakan
Enterprise design & implementation
- Meet and negotiate with supermarkets & other high value markets for direct farmer deliveries
- Seek assistance from individuals & institutions who can provide information & services
- Assist in the planning with a champion commodity team
- Launch a Trial Delivery to a high value market
- Assess the outcome & planning for possible scaling-up
FAO-VREDESEILANDEN Subregional Seminar on Enhancing NGO’s and Farmer Groups to Link Farmers to Markets
Selecting the right crop for the right market
Short-listing of major commodities
FAO-VREDESEILANDEN Subregional Seminar on Enhancing NGO’s and Farmer Groups to Link Farmers to Markets
Learning the Economics of Business:
Training for the Commodity Groups
Farmers were trained on computing Cost of Production, Product Flow and Market Research
Training on Marketing, conducting Market Research and Economics of Production
FAO-VREDESEILANDEN Subregional Seminar on Enhancing NGO’s and Farmer Groups to Link Farmers to Markets
Benchmarking to other vegetable producing areas
Key Government Local Officials and Farmer Leaders visited major vegetable producing community in
Mindanao.
Training on Marketing, conducting Market Research and Economics of Production
FAO-VREDESEILANDEN Subregional Seminar on Enhancing NGO’s and Farmer Groups to Link Farmers to Markets
Farmers from the identified Commodity Groups visited and interviewed and compared potential buyers. The Farm Manager of Nestle in Tagum
stressing the importance of quality.
Market Visits by Vegetable & Coffee Cluster Members and learning the art of negotiation
Market Research and Market Visit
FAO-VREDESEILANDEN Subregional Seminar on Enhancing NGO’s and Farmer Groups to Link Farmers to Markets
Preparation for the Vegetable Trial Delivery
Cluster Members sorting and packing the vegetables for delivery to one of the major shopping Mall in Davao City
Enterprise design & implementation
FAO-VREDESEILANDEN Subregional Seminar on Enhancing NGO’s and Farmer Groups to Link Farmers to Markets
Trial Delivery to Davao City Mall
Delivered vegetables were graded and checked for quality
FAO-VREDESEILANDEN Subregional Seminar on Enhancing NGO’s and Farmer Groups to Link Farmers to Markets
Preparation for Coffee
Trial DeliveryPlanning session for volume
consolidation with coffee farmers
Farmers sorting and drying coffee beans to make sure that it passes the quality standard/ requirement of Nestle Philippines Inc.
FAO-VREDESEILANDEN Subregional Seminar on Enhancing NGO’s and Farmer Groups to Link Farmers to Markets
Agro-Enteprise Marketing Support• Vegetable Sorting Shed• Plastic Crates and other packing materials• Weighing Scale
Infra. Support• Community Water System for Household and Farm Use• Farm to market roads• Multi-Purpose Driers and other post-harvest facilities, i.e. warehouse
Agri-Extension Services• Farmers Field School• Farm Trial Technology Verification• Cross-Farms Visitation
Capability-Building • Market Visits• Marketing Planning• Participation in Vegetable Congress• Maragusan Livelihood and Enterprise Development Center (MLEDC)• Mindanao Agro-Enterprise Learning Alliance
Scale-Up• Looking at other markets
• Improve farming system to increase production• Strengthening the Clusters
• Enterprise Planning
FAO-VREDESEILANDEN Subregional Seminar on Enhancing NGO’s and Farmer Groups to Link Farmers to Markets
Construction of Vegetable Sorting Shed
Provision of Plastic Crates for Vegetables
beforeNow
Marketing Support
FAO-VREDESEILANDEN Subregional Seminar on Enhancing NGO’s and Farmer Groups to Link Farmers to Markets
• Appropriate/ Sustainable Upland Farming Practices • Promotion of Natural Farming System/ Technology
Farmers’ Field School (FFS)- a 16-weeks community-based, farmer-oriented farming-learning system.
Agri-Extension Support
FAO-VREDESEILANDEN Subregional Seminar on Enhancing NGO’s and Farmer Groups to Link Farmers to Markets
• Crop and Cropping System
• Crop Production on a Sustained Yield Management
Farmers’ Field School (FFS)- a 16-weeks community-based, farmer-oriented farming-learning system.
Agri-Extension Support
FAO-VREDESEILANDEN Subregional Seminar on Enhancing NGO’s and Farmer Groups to Link Farmers to Markets
• Production Programming among the Vegetable Cluster Groups to meet and sustain Market Demand/ Requirement.
• Farmer-participants and Members of the Vegetable Clusters are provided with seeds’ support (70 % of production for the cluster).
Farmers’ Field School (FFS)- a 16-weeks community-based, farmer-oriented farming-learning system.
Agri-Extension Support
FAO-VREDESEILANDEN Subregional Seminar on Enhancing NGO’s and Farmer Groups to Link Farmers to Markets
Looking at other Markets
Scaling-Up for the Markets
Marketing Planning
Capability-Building
FAO-VREDESEILANDEN Subregional Seminar on Enhancing NGO’s and Farmer Groups to Link Farmers to Markets
Construction of Maragusan Livelihood and Enterprise Development Center (MLEDC)
• The Center was designed:– To coordinate all the livelihood/ enterprise-related activities of the
municipality.– To be the venue for all the trainings pertaining to community livelihood and
enterprises– To be the market facilitation and livelihood
information center of the municipality.– The Center is under the Management of
Municipal Economic and Enterprise Development
Office (MEEDO)
Capability-Building
FAO-VREDESEILANDEN Subregional Seminar on Enhancing NGO’s and Farmer Groups to Link Farmers to Markets
The Mindanao Agro-Enterprise Learning Alliance Workshop (MaELA)- a Mindanao-wide CRS partner NGOs’ “learning-alliance” initiative to further the objectives of Territorial Approach to Rural Agro-enterprise Development-Area Based Resource Assessment Framework developed by CIAT.
1st MAELA WORKSHOP-FORUM in Bukidnon Province
• Territorial Approach to Rural Agro-Enterprise Development• Partnership Development and Cluster Formation• Planning and Strategizing on market research and study
Capability-Building
FAO-VREDESEILANDEN Subregional Seminar on Enhancing NGO’s and Farmer Groups to Link Farmers to Markets
Lessons Learned… Cluster Formation/ Capability-Building of Farmer Group
• Quantity is power; quality is trust
- Other Farmer Groups have successfully penetrated
formidable
markets and grow by leaps and bounds after successfully
organizing themselves.
• Organization is the key
- Strengths lies in commitment of members in the
organization.
- Manage the organization in a business like manner.
FAO-VREDESEILANDEN Subregional Seminar on Enhancing NGO’s and Farmer Groups to Link Farmers to Markets
Knowing the Market/ Market Familiarization
• “Seeing is believing” – this facilitates better understanding
and
appreciation on the part of farmer-partners on the market.
• Seek supportive or “friendly” buyers and business service Seek supportive or “friendly” buyers and business service
providers providers
during test markets when much learning is needed.during test markets when much learning is needed.
Lessons Learned…
Going Back to the Basic
• Integrate Production Programming to Marketing/
Enterprise Development Planning.
• Matching of volume produce vis a vis market requirement
FAO-VREDESEILANDEN Subregional Seminar on Enhancing NGO’s and Farmer Groups to Link Farmers to Markets
Lessons Learned… Engaging other Stakeholders/ Partners and Networking
• Seek the expertise of people who are knowledgeable in
the
industry. They probably have tried the idea that you
have in
mind.
• Secure support from the Local and National
Government:
Enabling Policies and Programs.
FAO-VREDESEILANDEN Subregional Seminar on Enhancing NGO’s and Farmer Groups to Link Farmers to Markets
• Logistics Support
- Handling - Packaging - Storage Facility - Hauling and Transportation
• Quantity and Quality of Produce
- Increase and sustain production volume to meet
and sustain market requirement.
Challenges and Direction…
FAO-VREDESEILANDEN Subregional Seminar on Enhancing NGO’s and Farmer Groups to Link Farmers to Markets
• Strengthening of clusters
- Enhancing organization and enterprise management capabilities of farmer-clusters
• Scaling-up
- Expand participation of farmers and formation of clusters in the other barangays to address volume requirement of the market as well as to access other markets in other locations
Challenges and Direction…
FAO-VREDESEILANDEN Subregional Seminar on Enhancing NGO’s and Farmer Groups to Link Farmers to Markets
•Sustaining the Initiative
- Building and enhancing capacities of NGO and
partner
communities to sustain the initiative.
- Engaging more development institutions and
resource
providers as partners.
FAO-VREDESEILANDEN Subregional Seminar on Enhancing NGO’s and Farmer Groups to Link Farmers to Markets
Maraming Salamat po!
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