www.damrdp.net

A monthly newsletter of the Mindanao Rural Development Program

June 2011Vol. 4 No.6

by Noel T. Provido

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World Bank cites DA in mobilizing broad-based support The Mindanao Rural Development

Program (MRDP) is now gaining broad-based support in mobilizing various sectors for the advancement of rural development.

“One of the major successes achieved by the program at this point is in bringing together various agencies from the national down to local government units to work together to bring in development in Mindanao’s countryside,” said World Bank (WB) senior operations officer Felizardo Virtucio, Jr..

Speaking during the recent kick-off meeting of the MRDP mid-term evaluation in Manila, Virtucio said, the program has also been instrumental in pushing for reforms to meet its development objectives.

MRDP as a long-term poverty alleviation program of the Department of Agriculture (DA) aims to increase household incomes in covered communities and at the same time improve the decentralization of the delivery of basic agricultural services.

Virtucio along with the Bank’s team of consultants noted that the program has established a number of modalities which were well appreciated by implementers such as the formulation of barangay development plans which promoted participatory and transparency in identification of community needs

“The Program has also espoused the use of harmonized procurement guidelines which are now being used by the LGUs in implementing rural infrastructure projects which have significantly contributed to transparency, fairness, economy, efficiency, and accountability,” Virtucio said.

DA Secretary Proceso Alcala for his part said the impact of the program on the lives of farmers and fishers in

Mindanao is slowly being felt. “Halos kada linggo ay nasa

Mindanao po ako at sa aking pakikipag-usap sa mga local chief executives [LCEs] ay nararamdaman ko po ang init ng mga LGUs [local government units] sa pagtanggap sa ating programa. (I am in Mindanao almost every week and in my dialogue with local chief executives, I can feel the warmth of the LGUs’ reception

towards our Program). Earlier this year, Sec. Alcala convened

a hundred LCEs in Mindanao consist of legislators, governors, and mayors and discussed mechanisms that would fast-track the implementation of rural infrastructure and livelihood under MRDP.

In the said meeting, Sec. Alcala committed his office to shoulder at least

The Department of Agriculture (DA) has earmarked multimillion funds

for various livelihoods in Mindanao.The DA’s Mindanao Rural

Development Program (MRDP) has already disbursed a total of P234.96 million for its livelihood arm.

While, another 260.56 million were issued with Certificate of Availability of Funds (CAF) and are ready for download to beneficiaries making the

MRDP earmarks P495-M for agri-based livelihood

overall portfolio of CFAD to P495.51 million.

Program director Lealyn A. Ramos, in her report to DA Secretary Proceso Alcala, said the Community Fund for Agricultural Development (CFAD) component spent the amount mostly in food security interventions, community managed livelihoods and small support infrastructure.

by Sherwin B. Manual

DA Sec. Proceso J. Alcala (2nd left) and World Bank Senior Officer Felizardo K. Virtucio (left-most) receive the book Improving Lives from Usec. Joel Rudinas (3rd L) during the launching ceremony as Program Director Lealyn A. Ramos applaudes. See related story on page 3. u

MRDPulse Mindanao Rural Development Program 2

NEWS

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The various livelihoods have benefitted 49,537 individuals.

With the aim to increase agricultural production and increase incomes of small farmers, CFAD component is a municipal-based funding facility through which MRDP provides financing for the diverse needs and priorities of poor communities.

“The bottom-up approach under the Program where the people’s organization themselves identify and manage the project has promoted participation and transparency in governance as well as empowerment of rural folks,” Ramos said.

To date, there are already 1,988 agri-based livelihoods funded. Of which 671 were completed, 365 are still on-going and the rest are ready for implementation.

The Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) leads in the implementation with P118 million under its portfolio. ARMM completed 89 subprojects, 66 are on-going and 146 are ready for implementation.

Caraga region follows closely having accessed P113.33 million for its covered towns. The region has a total of 471 subprojects where 108 completed, 79 are on-going and the rest are ready for implementation.

Region 12 has a portfolio of P81.325 million with a total 405 subprojects; Region 11 has P75.5 million for its 287 projects; Region 10 has accessed P63.10

for its 311 subprojects; and Region 9 P44.25 million for 213 projects.

Among the successful livelihood projects implemented is the rice production in Zamboanga del Sur where farmers have liberated themselves from huge debts acquired from informal lenders.

Farmers in North Cotabato has enjoyed the utility of the Carabao in their farm as well as the income from selling from thir goat-production project.

Meanwhile, high-value vegetable production has made some 30 families in Sta. Josefa, Agusan del Sur acquire their own modest house and lot and additional two hectares of farm lot and vehicle for

their marketing.While in Maguindanao, rice and

corn farmers enjoy the benefits of their post harvest facilities. A rice mill in Mamasapano town has increased production and income of a number of farmers; while the solar drying pavement in North Upi has improved the quality of grains the farmers produced.

The Ata-Bagobo tribe in Sta. Cruz, Davao del Sur are now enjoying the fruits of their labor in their lakatan banana production. While the Higa-onon tribe in Bukidnon has increased their incomes after they have expanded their sweet pea production through the Program.

40 percent of the equity share of the LGUs. Providing equity share for its proposed projects is one of the major implementation bottlenecks according to LCEs.

DA Undersecretary Joel Rudinas added that through broad-based participatory approach, MRDP has allowed the Department the opportunity to work closely with the LGUs.

“Instead of DA solely handling investments for agricultural development, the Program has engage the LGUs to put their stake on building much needed rural infrastructure and in providing livelihood to increase farmers’ incomes,” Rudinas said.

“MRDP has helped not only in stretching our meager resources but also in showing us that working with LGUs can be productive,” he added.

Meanwhile, Mayor Joel Ray Lopez of Sta. Cruz, Davao del Sur in an interview said the MRDP implementation is one of the best partnerships their municipal government has entered into with national government and foreign donors.

“We have implemented rural infrastructure particularly farm-to-market roads that are now helping farmers cut down transport cost. Livelihood projects were also provided to augment farmers’ income,” Lopez said.

World Bank cites DA in mobilizing...

MRDP earmarks P495-M for agri-based livelihoodt 1

Easy Ride. Going to his farm, a farmer-beneficiary in Libungan, North Cotabato rides on his Carabao he acquired from the livestock dispersal project under the livelihood component of DA-MRDP and the local government unit of Libungan. Despite the advancement of farming practice, Carabao remains to be a reliable partner of many farmers in Mindanao.

Improving People’s Lives. Reaching Farther and Wider. MRDPulse 3

NEWS

Program launches Improving LivesThe Department of

Agriculture-Mindanao Rural Development Program (DA-MRDP) launched recently in Quezon City the book Improving Lives, a compendium of stories of how the second-phase implementation of the MRDP has made an impact on the lives of rural folks in Mindanao since it started in 2007.

Agriculture Secretary Proceso J. Alcala led the launch and presented the book to World Bank senior operations officer and MRDP co-task team leader Felizardo K. Virtucio Jr.

Included in the book were the stories of farmers in Sulop, Davao del Sur, who went back to rice farming after the program and the provincial and municipal governments put up an irrigation system now servicing 100 hectares of rice farms. Also featured were poor rice farmers in Zamboanga

del Sur, who were able to liberate themselves from huge debt from informal lenders or financiers. Thanks to the funding assistance of the program, they now manage their own small enterprise and finance loans to members of their organization.

The town of Limanon, Lanao del Norte, was also featured having embraced all the major components of the program and its success in the implementation of environmental projects, like the stabilization of the Larapan River and the adaptation of coral-transplantation technology.

Bunawan town in Agusan del Sur also proved the program’s capacity-building activities to better governance and improve the management of resources could help fill the local coffers. The local government unit was able to roll out effectively the delivery of basic services.

DA chief turns over P15M support to Surigao del Sur

Surigao del Sur --- Agriculture Secretary Proceso J. Alcala turned over, early this month, an estimated P15 million worth of agricultural and development assistance to boost the province’s food and agri-business potentials.

Among then was the fund for the construction of a Gamut-Camagong level-2 potable water supply system amounting to P7.520 million.

The amount is equally funded by the local government unit of the town of Tago in Surigao del Sur, and the Mindanao Rural Development Program (MRDP).

Once completed in six month’s time, the project will make safe drinking water available to 645 household-beneficiaries comprised of 3,503 individuals.

In support to the province’s rice production, the agriculture chief turned over P1 million under the Community Fund for Agricultural Development (CFAD) of the MRDP to finance

projects in Marihatag town, consisting of organic rice production in barangay Poblacion, and Carabao production in barangay San Antonio, bangus culture in cages at barangay Antipolo, and bottom drift gill nets for barangay Arorogan.

In Barobo town, another P1 million CFAD fund was turned over for rice production with duck raising as well as bangus raising in pens and cages .

The agriculture chief also turned over a P3.3 million fund for the rehabilitation of the San Jose-Dayo-an Junction farm-to-market road at Tandag City, Surigao del Sur.

The 3.6 kilometer road will benefit a total of 706 households, composed of 3,824 individuals from barangays Dayo-an and San Jose.

The farm to market road shall

service some 138 hectares (has) of land planted with rice, 42 has. with coconuts, and 2.25 has. with fruit trees in barangay Dayo-an; while 40 has. of rice and 189 has. of coconuts in barangay San Jose stand to benefit from the project.

In a farmers’ forum at the provincial social hall in Tandag City on June 11, Alcala recognized the tourism potentials of the province but added more agricultural activities are necessary to truly propel its development.

He noted that majority of lands in Surigao del Sur are devoted to agricultural production, particularly rice, corn, bananas, coconuts and abaca.

Rebessa Atega - DA13/Rheeda Cabrera/AFIS

Sherwin B. Manual

PUBLISHED. Improving Lives is a compedium of the Program’s success stories and best practices.

Regional Pulse

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From:The Editor-in-Chief

MRDPulse 2/4 Flr. Alvarez BuildingAngliongto Sr. Ave., Lanang, Davao City www.damrdp.net

Noel T. Provido Sherwin B. Manual Editor-in-Chief Managing Editor

Remjim V. Salido Lutzie E. Odtojan Circulation Manager Circulation Manager Contributors:Regional InfoACE Focal Persons

Advisers: Lealyn A. Ramos - Program Director Arnel V. De Mesa - Deputy Program Director

MRDPulse is a monthly in-house newsletter of the Department of Agriculture- Mindanao Rural Development Program (DA-MRDP). Views of the writers in this publication are not necessarily endorsed by DA-MRDP. For your comments, suggestions and articles e-mail us at: mrdp_info@yahoo.com. Visit us at: www.damrdp.net

Sulop, Davao del Sur --- Farmers in Sulop town in Davao del Sur enjoy better trading now that there’s better farm-to-market road.

The rehabilitation of the 4.32 kilometer road traversing three barangays of Luparan, Tagolilong, and Buguis facilitated easy delivery of agricultural produce in the interior part of the town.

The project amounting to P6.33 million was made possible with the equal sharing of the local government of Sulop and the Department of Agriculture’s Mindanao Rural Development Program (DA-MRDP).

The road benefited a total of 2,882 individuals while serving a vast agricultural land producing coconut, mango sugar cane, banana and corn.

“For the longest time, only recently we enjoy higher income and comfortable travel from our barangay to the town proper,” said Tagolilong barangay captain Aurea Dayon.

Dayon recalled that in the past there was frequent occurrence of vehicular accident which she herself experienced many times due to the road’s deplorable condition.

Another problem the farmers faced was the high cost of transportation. Since the road is the only access of farmers to the town proper, they were charged high loading and travelling cost.

“Before motorcycles charge P2.00 per kilo of banana or corn, so when a farmer sells 300 kilos that’s already P600.00 expense (for transportation). But now that the road is improved the maximum charge is only up to P1.00 per kilo, we save 50% more,” Dayon said.

Meanwhile, farmers were also obliged to sell their farm products at very

Improved farm road expands commerce in Davao Sur town

low price when traders buy their produce at farm gate.

Since the road was in very bad condition oftentimes farm produce were subjected to heavy damage while in transit.

On the other hand, parents were also forced to put their children in boarding houses since it was risky for them to come home every afternoon especially when it rains.

“One day of rain would be a week of difficult and perilous travel of the residents here. So when it’s very necessary to go to town like selling our produce we don’t have a choice but to face the risk,” Dayon said.

“Travel time before was about four hours, that would include two hours walking and another two hours riding the habal-habal or skylab. Today, within 25 minutes we are already at town proper,” Dayon added.

With the better road many farmers and the LGU are now seeing the possibility of expanding their agricultural production.

Mayor Jose Simmy Sagarino said farmers are now more enthusiastic in their production as seen in the increase of selling and buying during their market day.

“Improving road access especially in agri-production areas is among the top priority of my administration. And we are thankful that we were able to realize that with the 50% percent counterpart of DA-MRDP,” Mayor Sagarino said.

At present, 99 hectares of land planted to mango have the potential to be expanded to another 168 hectares; while the existing 595.8 hectares planted to coconut can be expanded to 100 hectares more.

Sugarcane plantation covers 307.33 hectares is now projected to be expanded 5 hectares more per year in 10 years. Banana plantation makes up 31.8 hectares which can be expanded to another 118 hectares in 10 years time.

Other livelihoods that can flourish are the livestock production and bamboo furniture making.

by Sherwin B. Manual

BETTER ROAD. The rehabilitated road in Sulop, Davao del Sur provides farmers fast and easy access in bringing their farm produce to the market.