A challenge for organized farmers and fisherfolk and
agribusiness groups for the advancement of Agro-industry and Food Security in
the Philippines
by Elmer R. Esplana, advocate of agricultural and
agribusiness development in the Philippines, and Focal Person, Agrikulturang
Maunlad, June 29, 2013
It is easier for
Pinoy farmers and fisherfolk to avail the production and post-harvest support
services through the different government agencies or support services office
of these Departments (Department of Agriculture (DA), Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), Department of Trade and Industy (DTI), Department of Science and Technogy (DOST), etc), if you are currently organized into an
organization (e.g. a cooperative, producers' association, federation of farmers
or fisherfolk, association of agribusiness entrepreneurs, etc.) rather than
isolating from any group or not mainstreaming from any available industry
organization which are already existing, cut across the different commodities.
You can take a look at some of the example associations such as Propork, Pork
Producers Federation in the Philippines for the hog groups; UBRA or United
Brioler and Raisers' Associaiton for broiler chicken groups; Philmaize of Philippine
Maize Federation for corn groups, to name some or any local or regional-based
farmers and fisherfolk organization in your area. There are the examples of
SIDCI or Soro-soro Ibaba Development Cooperative in Batangas, or Catmon
Multi-purpose Cooperative in Bulacan, to name some.
Organized groups serve as support system of farmers and
fisherfolk in the agriculture sector. Collaboration, cooperation,
interdependence, and partnership are
trend nowadays, that is the reason why
there is a PPP program in the government or what we call as the
Public-Private-Partnership Program. With
an organized and legitimized group, meaning, the group or organization has to be registered in SEC or it
is a legal entity, with BIR registered receipt, ready to conduct business or
accept grants, loans, etc. from whoever are interested to partner with your
organization in the process of doing your business, and pursuing the goals of
the organization..
Organized group benefits from a collaboration and
cooperation from among their members by sharing of resources, information,
technology, and any available loan and financial assistance, e.g. ACEF or
Agricultural Competitiveness Enhancement Fund, specifically for DA, and any
regular program like the National Commodity (Agri-Pinoy) Program for the different
commodities, be it rice, corn, livestock, poultry, high-value crops,
organic/natural farmed products, etc. in the national or regional offices, and
your local government units (provincial, municipality, city, etc).
Upon the availability of this program in your areas, you can
apply to be considered as beneficiaries, and if you are qualify, and you hurdle
their requirements or have passed in the selection of the intended
beneficiaries, you get the benefits of the program, but first you have to apply
and before you apply, your responsibility is to be organized or make your own
agribusiness enterprise, that could
thrive as a legitimate business entity. Support to collective and
organized group and agribusiness organization has a potential higher impact or
socio-economic impact than in any single individual person getting the benefit
of a program, one at a time. Giving a support of a program from the individual
person is expensive and laborious in terms of the implementation of the any
program or project. It is also harder to get
the accountability for any payback scheme of the investment of the
government, in general, from an individual beneficiary of a certain program in
production and post-harvest, rather than an organized group, unless you really
have evolved as a successful enterprise/farm/company which are also qualified
for any support by any program, if you will pass the requirements of the
program, but you have to apply. "Ask and you will receive" as the
Bible says. Apply and if you have the
merit, as potential beneficiary, you
will get the benefit of the program or project.
As a regular requirement, a project proposal or a feasibility study is
always asked from the applicant's side for the government to assess, if the
potential business or social venture or your business idea or model have the
merit and have the potential to succeed, if it will be supported and of course,
if it fits to be included as part of the program. There are also Industry Commodity Roadmaps in
the different commodities which discussed and identified how the government
will prioritize any commodity support in
production and post-harvest and supply chain improvement intervention cut across commodities. You can study the trends why DA, DOLE,
DTI, DOST preferred an organized farmers
and fisherfolk groups or an organized agribusiness establishment/organization
because that is the best option where government resources in agricultural and
agribusiness development could be provided for. As a country, we need to
improve the performance of the agriculture sector and to make the different
industries in the agriculture competitive, capable of exporting any available
competitive products in the international market, to increase our country's
trade receipt, along the side of providing products for the domestic
consumption.
So why wait, when you can prepare to organize a group by
yourself, if you desire and have the guts, legitimized the group into an
organization with your fellow farmers
and fisherfolk or agribusiness stakeholders, and when the time comes,
you can avail the support services available, cut across the agencies that are
providing them in the current Aquino (P-Noy) administration. Make yourself available by preparing your
organization for a higher level of challenge or even higher benefits and
opportunities. It is important that each
stakeholder among the farmers and fisherfolk groups could contribute in the
sustained local and national development in the agriculture, agribusiness and
food sectors in the next five or more years. Keep the fire burning! The new
generation of Pinoy Yan type of farmers
and fisherfolk and agribusiness entrepreneurs are now multiplying for the
advancement of the Philippine economy. Be proud to each other or to anyone,
because that is the new Pinoy Yan figher mentality, with the end in mind or the
united vision for the country as a "Prosperous rural organized farmers and
fisherfolk, and communities that build
sustained livelihood of farmers and fisherfolk and profitable agribusiness
organization, cut across the supply chain of different commodities that provide
surplus for agro-industry and food security." Build your legacy Pinoy
farmers and fisherfolk through an
organized agribusiness organization for the agricultural and agribusiness
development of the Philippines!
Acknowledgement:
I would like to acknowledge the vision of the agribusiness development plan which was set in Strategic Agribusiness Development Plan (SADP), where the revised vision was taken as new united vision of the Philippine agriculture and agribusiness sector. It was drafted by SADP Team, Department of Agriculture and supported by Japan International Cooperation Agency, where the author is one of the commodity writers of this material published in February and October 2009.
For any comments, please email me at elmer.esplana@gmail.com or digitalpinoy2038@gmail.com
