Chosen to be one of the representing Proponent Groups (PGs) in preparation for the 13th World Bank Implementation Support Mission (WB ISM) to the Department of Agriculture – Philippine Rural Development Project (DA-PRDP), the Naujan Farmers Association (NaFa) looks to build on its success on calamansi distribution, following the successful partnership with KLT Fruits Inc. as a buyer of their calamansi products.

During the Business Coaching and Mentoring Session held on November 17, 2021, NaFA President Nemesio Evangelista reported that the association was able to surpass the volume of calamansi that they were able to trade in the last five (5) years, combined by 50% in 2021 alone.

This year, NaFA secured a partnership with KLT Fruits Inc. as a buyer of their calamansi, through the Business to Business (B2B) matching of the AgriBusiness and Marketing Assistance Division (AMAD) of the DA MIMAROPA Regional Field Office. Its success in subproject operations led to NaFA being chosen to attend the PG Consultation session of the 13th WB ISM.

Building upon the growth of the operations, NaFA President Nemesio Evangelista expressed that more buyers will be pursued in the future for the benefit of the member beneficiaries.

“Ang plano po ngayon ng Naujan Farmers Association (NaFa) ay mas lalo po maghanap kung saan dadalhin ang calamansi, hindi lamang dito sa aming partner na si KLT. Sa pagdami po ng calamansi ay oobligahin namin na maghanap pa sa labas ng buyer ng calamansi, para mas lalong makuha ang calamansi ng mga member ng NaFA,” Evangelista said.

Ahead of the 13th WB ISM, Regional Project Coordination Office (RPCO) MIMAROPA I-REAP Component Head Celso Olido led the business coaching and mentoring session with NaFA to orient the PG on what to expect during the PG Consultation session. Also present in the session were NaFA’s key officials, together with the Business Development Associates of the Project Support Office (PSO) South Luzon Cluster and RPCO MIMAROPA.

NaFA is the PG of the Oriental Mindoro Calamansi Trading Center (OMCTC), having a total subproject cost of PhP12,042,000.44, and was completed and fully operational in 2017.

The World Bank ISM is conducted bi-annually and is composed of consultations, discussions, site visits, workshops, and action planning in a span of three weeks. For its 13th installment, the ISM is held from November 29 to December 16, 2021.  (Danica A. Brutas, DA-PRDP MIMAROPA RPCO InfoACE Unit)

Celso Olido, I-REAP Component Head, orients NaFA members of what to expect during the PG Consultation, along with the questions they should expect to receive. (Photo by Danica A. Brutas, DA-PRDP MIMAROPA RPCO InfoACE Unit)

(Left to right) I-REAP Component Head Celso Olido, RPCO MIMAROPA BDO Christine Pascua, NaFA President Nemesio Evangelista, and PSO South Luzon Cluster BDO Jandhe Reyes review NaFA’s documents and business processes. (Photo by Danica A. Brutas, DA-PRDP MIMAROPA RPCO InfoACE Unit)