FAO-VREDESEILANDEN Subregional Seminar on Enhancing NGO’s and Farmer Groups to Link Farmers to Markets
Bridging the Gaps:
Linking the Farmers to
Appropriate Markets
The Kasilak Development Foundation Inc. (KDFI)
Initiatives and Experience
in Maragusan, Compostela Valley Province, Philippines
Joemil Saloma Montebon
Executive 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
Program Strategies...
Partnership Development and
Linkage Building
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
Engaging the Stakeholders:
Strategic Framework on Partnership and Community Development
Corporate Sectors/
Business Community
Community
Other Development
Players and/ or
Stakeholders
Resource Providers and
Donor Community
Community
Community
Development and Environmental
Management
Community
Government Sector
i.e. LGU (Mun./ Brgy.) &
Gov’t Line Agencies
Community
Civil Society/ NGOs/ POs
Kasilak Development
Foundation Inc. (KDFI)
Other Development
Players and/ or
Stakeholders
FAO-VREDESEILANDEN Subregional Seminar on Enhancing NGO’s and Farmer Groups to Link Farmers to Markets
Location of Maragusan
Compostela Valley
Province, Region XI
• 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 %)
Municipality of
Maragusan
FAO-VREDESEILANDEN Subregional Seminar on Enhancing NGO’s and Farmer Groups to Link Farmers to Markets
Major Development Concerns...
• Low Agricultural Productivity
• Environmental Degradation
• In adequate Infrastructure
• Limited Access to Basic Social Services
• Underdeveloped Tourism Potentials
Municipality of Maragusan,
ComVal Province
FAO-VREDESEILANDEN Subregional Seminar on Enhancing NGO’s and Farmer Groups to Link Farmers to Markets
Our Response:
The
Maragusan
Valley
Area Resource
Development
(MaVARD)
Project
communities
communities
communities
Components:
• Agriculture-Extension
• Community Infrastructure Support
• Natural-Resource Management
• Agro-Enterprise Development and
Support to Marketing
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 subprojects 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
Maragusan Valley Vegetable
Flow
Major Crops
• Chayote
• Tomatoes
• Bell Pepper
• Coffee
• Squash
• Beans
• Eggplant
Leyte
Surigao
Agusan del
Norte
Agusan del
Sur
Maragusan
Davao
City
Tagum
City
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
• Support for the opening and operation
of the Maragusan Trading Post
• Market opportunities
identification / Market
assessment with existing
products
• Market visits
• Enterprise design and
implementation
• Trial Deliveries, Assessment
• Scaling-up
• 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
Brgy
Magcagong
Brgy
Saranga
Brgy
Mahayahay
Brgy
Parasanon
Brgy
Tupas
Brgy New
Albay
Short-listed major commodities & identified potential farmer partners
Training on Marketing, conducting Market Research and Economics of Production
Market Research and Market Visit
Coffee
Group
Vegetable
Group
Coffee
Group
Vegetable
Group
Vegetable
Group
Vegetable
Group
Corn
Group
Rice
Group
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
Nestle Phils.,
Inc.
Davao Traders
Maragusan
Bagsakan
NCCC Mall
B-Meg
Corn
Supplier
Maragusan
Wholesalers
& Retailers
FAO-VREDESEILANDEN Subregional Seminar on Enhancing NGO’s and Farmer Groups to Link Farmers to Markets
Short-listing of major commodities
Selecting the right crop for the right market
FAO-VREDESEILANDEN Subregional Seminar on Enhancing NGO’s and Farmer Groups to Link Farmers to Markets
Training on Marketing, conducting Market Research and Economics of Production
Learning the Economics of Business:
Training for the Commodity Groups
Farmers were trained on computing Cost of Production,
Product Flow and Market Research
FAO-VREDESEILANDEN Subregional Seminar on Enhancing NGO’s and Farmer Groups to Link Farmers to Markets
Training on Marketing, conducting Market Research and Economics of Production
Benchmarking to other vegetable producing areas
Key Government Local Officials and Farmer Leaders visited
major vegetable producing community in Mindanao.
FAO-VREDESEILANDEN Subregional Seminar on Enhancing NGO’s and Farmer Groups to Link Farmers to Markets
Market Research and Market Visit
Market Visits by Vegetable & Coffee Cluster Members and
learning the art of negotiation
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.
FAO-VREDESEILANDEN Subregional Seminar on Enhancing NGO’s and Farmer Groups to Link Farmers to Markets
Enterprise design & implementation
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
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 Delivery
Planning 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
Scale-Up
• Looking at other markets
• Improve farming system to increase production
• Strengthening the Clusters
• Enterprise Planning
Marketing Support
Agro-Enteprise
Agri-Extension Services
• 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
• 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
FAO-VREDESEILANDEN Subregional Seminar on Enhancing NGO’s and Farmer Groups to Link Farmers to Markets
Marketing Support
Construction of Vegetable Sorting
Shed
Provision of Plastic Crates for Vegetables
before
Now
FAO-VREDESEILANDEN Subregional Seminar on Enhancing NGO’s and Farmer Groups to Link Farmers to Markets
Agri-Extension Support
Farmers’ Field School (FFS)
- a 16-weeks community-based, farmer-oriented farming-learning system.
• Appropriate/ Sustainable Upland Farming Practices
• Promotion of Natural Farming System/ Technology
FAO-VREDESEILANDEN Subregional Seminar on Enhancing NGO’s and Farmer Groups to Link Farmers to Markets
Agri-Extension Support
Farmers’ Field School (FFS)
- a 16-weeks community-based, farmer-oriented farming-learning system.
• Crop and Cropping System
• Crop Production on a Sustained Yield Management
FAO-VREDESEILANDEN Subregional Seminar on Enhancing NGO’s and Farmer Groups to Link Farmers to Markets
Agri-Extension Support
Farmers’ Field School (FFS)
- a 16-weeks community-based, farmer-oriented farming-learning system.
• 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).
FAO-VREDESEILANDEN Subregional Seminar on Enhancing NGO’s and Farmer Groups to Link Farmers to Markets
Capability-Building
Scaling-Up for the Markets
Looking at other Markets
Marketing Planning
FAO-VREDESEILANDEN Subregional Seminar on Enhancing NGO’s and Farmer Groups to Link Farmers to Markets
Capability-Building
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)
FAO-VREDESEILANDEN Subregional Seminar on Enhancing NGO’s and Farmer Groups to Link Farmers to Markets
Capability-Building
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
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
Lessons Learned…
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 providers
during test markets when much learning is needed.
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
Challenges and Direction…
• 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.
FAO-VREDESEILANDEN Subregional Seminar on Enhancing NGO’s and Farmer Groups to Link Farmers to Markets
Challenges and Direction…
• 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
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.
Maraming Salamat po!