The Department of Agriculture (DA) aims to support the country’s economic growth through investments in agricultural production and marketing activities in the rural areas under the Philippine Rural Development Project (PRDP).

The project has already approved P44.55 million worth of production and marketing support activities that include Cassava Granules Production in Polomolok, South Cotabato and Calamansi Trading Center in Victoria, Naujan & Calapan City, Oriental Mindoro under the Enterprise Development (I-REAP) Component of the PRDP.

Likewise, the six-year countryside development project is working on the establishment of a village level integrated coconut processing hub in Bicol Region in partnership with the Local Government Unit (LGU), Central Bicol State University of Agriculture, and Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization.

The processing hub project aims to establish strong linkage among coconut farmers in the region and at the same time capacitate them to value-add their products and engage in businesses.

Meanwhile, some P249.7 million worth of sub-projects are awaiting approval. Some of these projects include Cashew Processing Center in Northern Palawan, VCO Processing Center in Sarangani, Dairy Enterprise in Cagayan, and Carabao Processing and Marketing Enterprise in Bohol.

PRDP Director and DA Undersecretary for Operations, Agribusiness and Marketing Emerson Palad urged I-REAP staff to be more cognizant in planning and implementing I-REAP sub-projects with the Local Government Units (LGUs) and proponent groups (PG) for PRDP to truly achieve its aim of delivering inclusive growth to the local farmers.

“We have designed I-REAP interventions to be inclusive so that farmers can directly benefit from this project,” explained Palad during the recently concluded Enterprise Development Component (I-REAP) coordination meeting and assessment workshop of the DA-implemented project.

I-REAP is one of the major components of the PRDP focused on providing production and marketing support to PGs composed of farmers’ or fishers’ groups or cooperatives. Under the component, projects will be funded with 80-20 co-sharing between the National Government and LGUs. The PG will pitch in additional 20% of the combined amount.

I-REAP Component Head and DA Assistant Secretary for Agribusiness and Marketing Leandro Gazmin emphasized the importance of coordination within the PRDP offices as well as with LGU and PG partners in coming up with good quality sub-projects.

He added that the success of the project will be measured by the improvement in the economic status of the beneficiaries. Moreover, he urged I-REAP personnel to validate and verify the project sites as well as proponent groups who will partner with the PRDP.

“There should be a level of confidence in all our activities, and we should do things slowly and surely to fast-track our progress” added Gazmin.

South Cotabato Governor Daisy Avance-Fuentes expressed her support to the project adding that PRDP will not only help LGUs increase their production, but is an ideal venue to increase their capability, improve efficiency, and develop specialization skills.

During the meeting, the group also visited the cassava production and processing project in Polomolok, South Cotabato which was lauded by the World Bank for their world-class business plan. (Catherine Nanta, InfoACE-NPCO)