The Bacarra Zanjera Irrigators Multi-Purpose Cooperative (BZIMPC) in Bacarra, Ilocos Norte continues to experience a stream of benefits, after being granted an I-REAP subproject from the Department Agriculture – Philippine Rural Development Project (DA-PRDP).

This was determined during the 5-day Rapid Appraisal of Emerging Benefits (RAEB) jointly conducted by the Project Support Office (PSO) North Luzon Cluster and the Regional Project Coordination Office (RPCO) 1 from April 25-29, 2022.

The conducted RAEB aims to capture immediate impacts or results of the completed enterprise subproject, and assess whether the intended benefits consistent to the development objectives of the Project are successfully attained. To gather data, the DA-PRDP team, led by the Monitoring and Evaluation Unit, conducted a series of comprehensive interviews and surveys with the chairman and some 30 selected garlic farmers and coop members.

As a result, it was revealed that some of the benefits that emerged from the implemented subproject were: generation of at least 20 available jobs during peak season for delivery, hauling and braiding of garlic; subsidized production inputs (seeds) for farmer-beneficiaries to help them recover from previous losses; more frequent visits of Agriculture Extension Workers (AEW); market expansion focuses on value-adding to capacitate farmer-members, especially women on food processing; and higher farm gate price of PhP5.00 compared to other traders.

Aside from the emerging benefits brought by the subproject, the PSO North Luzon Cluster continues to find ways to help BZIMPC grow its market reach, using the advantage of digital space and platforms. The BZIMP, together with other partner cooperatives, was part of the e-Merkado initiative of the PSO that was launched through Facebook on October 28, 2021.

The enterprise subproject, Commercialization of Ilocos Garlic: The White Treasure of the North Enterprise, with a total cost of PhP23,214,953.33, was completed in December 2020. Included in the subproject is the construction of a 128 square meter Garlic Consolidation and Trading Center worth PhP5,629,000, which serves as an area for consolidation and storage of bundled and packed dried garlic. It can store up to at least 60 metric tons of dried garlic. Moreover, it also provided the cooperative with farm inputs and supplies such as a multi-cultivator, tractor, water pumps, hoses, knapsack sprayers, grass cutters, and marketing support, such as one (1) unit of close Elf van and one (1) delivery van.

BZIMPC is the chosen I-REAP subproject in the North Luzon Cluster that will undergo a site visit as part of the upcoming 14th World Bank Implementation Support Mission to the DA-PRDP set to kick off on May 23, 2022. (By: Ericson M. Guiao, PSO North Luzon InfoACE)