PRDP Mindanao conducted the second round of the Mindanao Online C.A.F.E on October 28, 2021 with the topic “Strengthening the Country’s Food system the AgriCOOPh way” via online platform.

The Mindanao Online C.A.F.E or Convergence for Agriculture and Fisheries Enterprise  is PRDP Mindanao’s knowledge sharing platform which aims to establish linkages between farmers, traders, and other private institutions in Mindanao and the Philippines. 

In his opening message, PRDP Mindanao Deputy Project Director Noel T. Provido emphasized the main objectives of the activity which was to connect all the I-REAP beneficiaries under PRDP to be part of the OneDA approach of DA Secretary William Dar. 

“It is important to scale up the  livelihood of our proponent groups into economic enterprises or agri-enterprises so that our farmers and fisherfolk beneficiaries will become agripreneurs,” said Provido. “To do this, we have to do it in agri-coop ways. Cooperatives play a significant role in social integration, job generation, and poverty alleviation. We want our I-REAP enterprise to grow and to be sustainable.”  

Guest speaker Mr. Cresente Paez, CEO of Philippine Family Farmers’ Agriculture Fishery Forestry Cooperatives Federation (AgriCOOPh ) shared their group’s experiences and how they grew into a Federation. He talked about the key functions of cooperatives in the agricultural market being both an association and an enterprise along with the duality of challenges, the eight steps in clustering approach, their food supply chain, commodity hub, and the AgriCOOPh ecosystem. 

To be able to increase their income as cooperatives, there is a need to address the essential elements such as governance, decision making, officers, and management. Balancing the three “M’s” of marketing, money and mentoring is important for success 

One of the important aspects of his discussion is what he calls the AgriCOOPh’s theory of change. 

“If we build the coop, their internal capacity will be improved,” Paez explained. “If the internal capacity is improved, the support system is better accessed through financing, infrastructure, and  technology support. If the support system is better accessed, the coop is able to deliver better services to its members which will eventually lead to increased income for its members.”

A total of 75 participants registered and joined the Mindanao Online C.A.F.E composed mostly by the proponent groups and project beneficiaries of I-REAP subprojects from six regions in Mindanao, along with representatives from Provincial Agriculture Offices, and Regional Project Offices. 

The Mindanao Online C.A.F.E was launched last February 4, 2021 through the initiatives of the PSO Mindanao I-REAP Component, headed by Ronnie John Yulo in collaboration with the Mindanao InfoACE team under the office of Deputy Project Director headed by Noel T. Provido. (Joy Montecalvo)