Joemil Saloma Montebon Executive Director, KDFI Presentation to the FAO-Vredeseilanden Sub-Regional Seminar on Enhancin

1. FAO-VREDESEILANDEN Subregional Seminar on Enhancing NGO’s and Farmer Groups to Link Farmers to Markets 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 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

2. 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.,

3. 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

4. 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 Resource Providers and Donor Community Other Development Players and/ or Stakeholders Community Other Development Players and/ or Stakeholders Community Community Development and Environmental Management Community Community Government Sector i.e. LGU (Mun./ Brgy.) & Gov’t Line Agencies Civil Society/ NGOs/ POs Kasilak Development Foundation Inc. (KDFI)

5. 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

6. 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

7. 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: • Community Infrastructure Support • Agriculture-Extension • Natural-Resource Management • Agro-Enterprise Development and • Support to Marketing

8. 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)

9. FAO-VREDESEILANDEN Subregional Seminar on Enhancing NGO’s and Farmer Groups to Link Farmers to Markets Maragusan Valley Vegetable Flow Leyte • Major Crops • Chayote • Tomatoes • Bell Pepper • Coffee • Squash • Beans • Eggplant Surigao Agusan del Norte Agusan del Sur Maragusan Tagum City Davao City

10. 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)

11. 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) • Site Identification • 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

12. 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. Maragusan Bagsakan NCCC Mall B-Meg Corn Supplier Maragusan Wholesalers & Retailers Davao Traders

13. 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

14. Learning the Economics of Business: Training for the Commodity Groups 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 Farmers were trained on computing Cost of Production, Product Flow and Market Research

15. FAO-VREDESEILANDEN Subregional Seminar on Enhancing NGO’s and Farmer Groups to Link Farmers to Markets Benchmarking to other vegetable producing areas Training on Marketing, conducting Market Research and Economics of Production Key Government Local Officials and Farmer Leaders visited major vegetable producing community in Mindanao.

16. 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.

17. FAO-VREDESEILANDEN Subregional Seminar on Enhancing NGO’s and Farmer Groups to Link Farmers to Markets Preparation for the Vegetable Trial Delivery Enterprise design & implementation Cluster Members sorting and packing the vegetables for delivery to one of the major shopping Mall in Davao City

18. 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

19. 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.

20. 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 Agro-Enteprise • Marketing Support • Vegetable Sorting Shed • Plastic Crates and other packing • materials • Weighing Scale • Agri-Extension Services • Farmers Field School • Farm Trial Technology • Verification • Cross-Farms Visitation • 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 • Capability-Building • Market Visits • Marketing Planning • Participation in Vegetable Congress • Maragusan Livelihood and Enterprise • Development Center (MLEDC) • Mindanao Agro-Enterprise Learning Alliance

21. FAO-VREDESEILANDEN Subregional Seminar on Enhancing NGO’s and Farmer Groups to Link Farmers to Markets Construction of Vegetable Sorting Shed Marketing Support Provision of Plastic Crates for Vegetables before Now

22. 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

23. 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

24. 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).

25. FAO-VREDESEILANDEN Subregional Seminar on Enhancing NGO’s and Farmer Groups to Link Farmers to Markets Looking at other Markets Capability-Building Scaling-Up for the Markets Marketing Planning

26. 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) Capability-Building • 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)

27. 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

28. 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.

29. 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

30. 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.

31. 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.

32. 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

33. 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.

34. Maraming Salamat po!