By Elvy T. Estacio, RPCO-CAR Writer

The Business Planning Writeshop for the implementing Proponent Groups (PGs) of new enterprise subprojects proposed for funding under the Department of Agriculture-Philippine Rural Development Project (DA-PRDP) Scale-Up has commenced on July 23 in Sagada, Mountain Province.

Business development teams from the Taloy Farmers’ Multipurpose Cooperative (TAFARMCO) and the Sagada Arabica Coffee Growers and Processors Organization (SACGPO) began developing their business plans according to the updated requirements and guidelines for proposed enterprise development subprojects under the DA-PRDP Scale-Up.

The PGs were recently confirmed eligible to propose enterprise subprojects based on the documents they submitted, including their proposed business models. During the writeshop, participants were first oriented on DA-PRDP Scale-Up requirements related to Social and Environmental Safeguards, Geomapping and Governance, and Economics. Both groups presented their business models and provided overviews of their proposed enterprises.

The four-day writeshop focused on finalizing their business models to determine the final structure of their proposals and assessing the feasibility of their proposals through financial analysis. To facilitate the process, timelines and follow through activities were set prior to a Joint Technical Review.

Technical staff from the DA-PRDP NPCO, PSO, RPCO-CAR, and LGUs were on hand to assist the PGs and facilitate the writeshop. Representatives from AgriTerra were also present to provide technical advice and assistance.

This collaborative effort marks a significant step towards enhancing the agricultural enterprises in the region, contributing to the overall development and sustainability of rural communities under the DA-PRDP Scale-Up.