To further examine and assess the findings and recommendations during the 14th World Bank Implementation Support Mission (WB ISM) and to hone the I-REAP process, the Enterprise Development Component (I-REAP) of the Department of Agriculture – Philippine Rural Development Project National Project Coordination Office (DA-PRDP NPCO), together with their regional and cluster counterparts, conducted the 20th National I-REAP Coordination meeting in Western Visayas from June 27 to July 1, 2022.

Western Visayas Regional Executive Director and DA-PRDP Project Support Office (PSO) Visayas Project Director Engr. Remelyn R. Recoter thanked the I-REAP Component for choosing to conduct their activity in Region 6. 

“We’re very happy to host this national event as this is a huge help to the region, especially since the islands suffered from the lockdowns and recent typhoons. The accumulated damage to the agri-fisheries sector of typhoons Odette and Agaton is around 10 billion pesos. Reports on GEF site damages in the region have also caught my attention. We must focus on how to help our proponent groups get back on their feet,” she said.

Recoter also highlighted the potential of the ongoing PRDP farm-to-market road (FMR) in Libacao, Aklan. 

“When the PRDP’s FMR in Libacao opens, it will bring opportunities for highland vegetable production which is at a very low sufficiency level right now, making us dependent on deliveries from the Cordillera region,” she added.

Meanwhile, NPCO I-REAP Alternate Component Head Leny Pecson presented the overall I-REAP implementation updates followed by the status of enterprise subprojects. To date, there are already 544 completed enterprise subprojects as of June 25, 2022.

On the second day of the Coordination Meeting Pierre Carlo Curay, CEO of Insight Supply Chain Solutions (InsightSCS) presented possible collaborations with the I-REAP component by directly connecting with the proponent group’s buyers thru their mobile delivery application called DeliverE.

“We have partnered with several private companies like Grab and Sodexo and national government agencies like DTI, the DA-PRDP can definitely count on us in helping our farmers market their fresh and packaged products,” Curay said.

Presentations on the latest results of the Rapid Appraisal of Emerging Benefits, KM concepts to be adapted by the PRDP,  issues and concerns of the SES unit regarding the provision of the No Objection Letter (NOL) in the approval of subproject proposals, enhanced procurement guidelines and its specifications for World Bank Additional Financing 2 and European Union (AF2-EU) co-financing grant, I-REAP’s financial progress on the AF2-EU co-financing grant, the Implementation Management Agreement (IMA) between the DA, local government units, and PGs, and the accreditation of the Civil Society Organizations (CSO) were also given by the concerned NPCO units.

DA-PRDP National Deputy Project Director Shandy Hubilla opened the third day of the Coordination Meeting emphasizing three important points in his message:

Make your business plans future-ready and future-proof. Integrate lessons learned in creating future business plans. Minimize risks and maximize the income of farmers; grab every opportunity for agricultural digitalization especially in a technology and market-driven economy.

Learn to unlearn. Consider venturing into different opportunities or being agricultural entrepreneurs.

Farm and Fisheries Clustering and Consolidation (F2C2) is the only way to make the sector competitive. It is a strategy that every program should be doing to achieve scale in the agricultural sector to be competitive in the global market.

On the other hand, Senior Institutional  Development Specialist Renato Manantan presented the mainstreaming plan of PRDP Innovations with respect to the OneDA Reform Agenda. He suggested the crafting of capacity development plans for the mainstreaming of the I-REAP innovations to the DA-Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance Service and training the regular staff who will be using the innovations.

Breakout sessions per cluster were conducted for the delivery and presentation of the following points: review of the I-REAP process, detailed and updated completion catch-up plan per subproject (SP), action plan for the SPs for cancellation, detailed status of the approval of the pipeline subprojects for 2022 funding, mainstreaming plan of action 2022, and activities and targets for the second semester of 2022.

NPCO I-REAP Component Head Director Bernadette F. San Juan concluded the activity with a call to action.

“Let us help each other in approving the subprojects in line and reaching our disbursement target to ensure the livelihood of our farmers and fisherfolk. The AF2-EU opens more opportunities for us to help our beneficiaries. Let us utilize the fundings well so nothing goes to waste,” San Juan said. (PRDP NPCO InfoACE)