The European Union and World Bank Team met with five farmer beneficiary groups through PRDP Mindanao’s online platform on March 28, 2023.

Through PRDP Mindanao’s online knowledge sharing platform, the Mindanao Online C.A.F.E. or the Convergence for Agriculture and Fisheries Enterprise, the European Union led by their Head of Cooperation Christoph Wagner and the World Bank Team led by Task Team Leader Mio Takada and Co-Task Team Leader Maria Theresa G. Quiñones, met with five of PRDP Mindanao’s farmer beneficiary groups.

With the topic, “Promoting Inclusivity in Mindanao Rural Communities”, the Project Support Office Mindanao (PSO Mindanao) through their InfoAce Team and I-REAP component or enterprise development component, brought together both project beneficiaries and funding partners in a meaningful exchange to talk about challenges and lessons learned in subproject implementation.

In her message, I-REAP Component Head Bernadette F. San Juan emphasized the significance of bringing together in a dialogue the funding partners and subproject beneficiaries.

“This activity is essential as it provides opportunities for our funding partners to understand the role of these enterprises in promoting inclusivity in rural communities in Mindanao,” said San Juan. “This activity is an excellent opportunity for us to share our insights and best practices on how we can promote rural inclusivity in Mindanao.” San Juan added that the pandemic has emphasized the importance of digital technology in ensuring that everyone is included in the process of rural development. “Let us work together promoting rural inclusivity and ensuring that no one is left behind in our development efforts,” San Juan said.

The five groups that joined the virtual meeting include the Brgy. Anitapan Improvement Community and Farmers Association (BAICFA); Tibolo Farm Workers Association (TIFWA); the Dinas Small Coconut Farmers Federation (DISCOFAF); the Kababayenhan Alang sa Malamboong Panginabuhian (KAMAANAN); and the Kauran Christian Upland Farmers Agriculture Cooperative. These groups currently have enterprise subprojects funded under the PRDP’s Second Additional Funding and European Union Co-Financing Grant (AF2-EU).

In 2021, the Philippine Rural Development Project (PRDP) was granted a US$280 Million Second Additional Financing (AF-2) which was retrofitted to support the economic recovery efforts of the Department of Agriculture to respond to the effects of the corona virus outbreak of 2019 and it was supplemented by the European Union’s (EU) co-financing grant of EUR 18.3 million through a stand-alone, country- specific, co-financing trust fund for the PRDP.

“We are fortunate in Mindanao because of all the clusters in PRDP, it is only in Mindanao the sole recipient of the EU Co-Financing Grant and we are really thankful to the World Bank and EU for providing this grant to Mindanao,” said PSO Mindanao Deputy Project Director Noel T. Provido.

In her message, World Bank Task Team Leader Mio Takada also thanked their partners from the European Union for their grant to PRDP.

“From the World Bank, we would like to thank our partners from the EU for the EU grant which made it possible for PRDP to reach out to low capacity LGUs, conflict affected areas, and remote areas in Mindanao,” said Takada.

The five groups, in turn, also expressed their gratitude to the support they received from the World Bank and European Union through DA-PRDP.

The KAMAANAN, a women’s group from Region 13, thanked the World Bank and the European Union for supporting a group in a far-flung community in Mindanao. “We are thankful that we were able to avail of the extended support from our brothers and sisters in Europe, and everyone in the World Bank and PRDP.”

EU Head of Cooperation Christoph Wagner, in his message also expressed his appreciation for the online activity.

“Thank you letting me take part of this Mindanao Online C.A.F.E.,” said Wagner. “It was heartwarming and also very eye-opening in many ways because I feel that there is a lot of effort going into this for many project sites.” Wagner added that the EU Grant will ultimately benefit not only their respective farmer groups but also their communities as well. “In the end if you succeed in making the enterprise last, it’s for you, your families, and your children,” he said. “This is support is making the livelihood of your communities better and we are happy to be part of that.”

The online exchange marks the 11th episode of the Mindanao Online C.A.F.E which was established in 2021 by PRDP Mindanao to provide a venue for the stakeholders of various priority commodities in Mindanao to share and exchange knowledge, and establish linkages between farmers, traders, and other private institutions. (via Joy Montecalvo PSO Mindanao)

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