The Department of Agriculture – Philippine Rural Development Project (DA-PRDP) Bicol intensified its call for rural enterprise development proposals and is inviting farmers and fishers cooperatives and associations (FCAs), FCA clusters and local government units (LGUs) to avail of agricultural and fishery productivity enhancement interventions under the DA-PRDP Scale-Up Enterprise Development (I-REAP) component. 

During the Press Briefing for Media Practitioners of Camarines Sur, Albay and Sorsogon held in Pili, Camarines Sur on January 17, 2024, DA-PRDP Bicol I-REAP Component Head Patrocinio Collao I intensified the Regional Project Coordination Office’s (RPCO) campaign to encourage eligible proponents to partner with DA-PRDP Scale-Up, one of the DA’s flagship programs funded by a World Bank loan worth 600 million dollars or about PhP33 billion. The Project aims to boost the efficiency of the country’s food supply chain by addressing the gaps in the commodity value chain. The project will be implemented from 2023 to 2029. 

According to Collao, under the DA-PRDP Scale-Up I-REAP component, the government will provide small to large-scale climate-resilient and climate-smart pre- and post-harvest, processing, logistics and distribution facilities with a minimum cost of PhP50 million and above. Among the eligible subprojects under the I-REAP component are input supply and sourcing facilities, production enterprises, consolidation facilities, post-harvest facilities processing facilities, Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP)-compliant crop, meat, dairy or fish processing facilities, non-food products processing facilities and marketing facilities. 

FCA clusters composed of at least two FCAs with an approved Cluster Development Plan (CDP) and with a minimum production area of 100 hectares for rice, 75 hectares for corn, 25 hectares for high value crops, 100 hectares for fruit trees and perennials and 100 hectares for fiber crops are eligible to apply. Meanwhile, the private sector can also participate in the DA-PRDP Scale-Up through productive alliances by serving as either partners, co-managers, co-implementers or marketing conduit. 

Collao said that interested LGUs and FCA clusters must send a Letter of Intent (LOI) to DA-PRDP RPCO in Pili, Camarines Sur. 

Currently, DA-PRDP has 30 I-REAP subprojects worth a total of PhP167.38 million. These subprojects were funded under the original loan and first and second additional financing. Twenty-eight of these subprojects amounting to PhP140 million have already been completed while the remaining two totaling PhP27.37 million are still on-going. # (Annielyn L. Baleza, DA PRDP RPCO V InfoACE Unit/DA RAFIS V)

Photo Credits: Zandra G. Abogado and Hermito Antonio T. Privaldos, DA RAFIS V