Friday, June 28, 2013

A challenge for organized farmers and fisherfolk and agribusiness groups for the advancement of Agro-industry and Food Security in the Philippines

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

No comments:

Post a Comment