|PRDP Mindanao’s I-PLAN component conducted their first cluster assessment and 2024 planning workshop on January 30 – February 2, 2024 in General Santos City.

With the component’s objective of strengthening the framework and linkages for the delivery of devolved but integrated agriculture and fishery services in Mindanao, the meeting was set to ensure that the targets for all the regions are aligned for the year.

The I-PLAN Component is set to complete all the Value Chain Analysies (VCA) under the Second Additional Financing and European Union Co-Financing Grant for 2024 as well as the updating of Provincial Commodity Investment Plan (PCIP), and researches funded under Subcomponent 1.2.

PSO I-PLAN Component Head Elden Karl Requilme highlighted the importance of strengthening convergence with DA partners and the private sector to develop and adopt the PCIPs.

“As we move forward in another milestone of our Project with the PRDP Scale-Up, let us strengthen our convergence with all concerned agencies, institutions, and stakeholders because we are now shifting to clustering and establishing commodity hub based on our identified top priority commodity,” Said Requilme.

To date, a total of five researches are being funded under Sub-component 1.2 which include bangus research with the Davao Oriental State University (DOrSU) in Region 11, RMA for lobster and mangrove crabs with the North Eastern Mindanao State University (NEMSU), and the bangus research w/ BFAR in Region 13, and the seaweed research with Mindanao State University Sulu in BARMM. The component is also currently working on the formulation of the VCAs for rice and corn which they hope to complete within 2024.

Prior to the assessment and planning workshop, the I-PLAN component together with the I-REAP component conducted the “Convergence Scoping on Regional Commodity Hub” which would help lay the groundwork for the implementation of subprojects under the PRDP-Scale Up. (Joy Montecalvo, PSO Mindanao)