To ensure that the interventions given are appropriate to the needs of the recipients, the Department of Agriculture (DA) – Philippine Rural Development Project (PRDP) follows processes and uses tools to achieve this.

One such tool is the Commodity Investment Plan (CIP) which is used to develop priority commodities of the regions as well as the provinces. The CIP also serves as a basis in the identification of necessary interventions or subprojects that may be funded under the Project.

The Regional Program Coordinating Office (RPCO) Caraga through the IPLAN Component, on February 9, spearheaded the conduct of a Joint Technical Review for the CIP of Butuan City. City Agriculturist Engr. Pierre Anthony Joven, Engr. Princess Castro, and Levita Grana of the City Planning and Development Office represented the Local Government Unit of Butuan while other stakeholders including the representatives from the Agricultural Training Institute, LandBank of the Philippines, Philippine Coconut Authority, and Northern Mindanao School of Fisheries, Department of Agrarian Reform, Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, and the Program Support Office – IPLAN Mindanao also participated.

Butuan has two versions of its CIP. The first version listed rubber, banana cardava, cacao, and coconut as its priority commodities. With the developments in the city and their economic and agricultural directions, the second version of their CIP was created. The second version included processed sardines, bangus, and swine among its priority commodities.

The Joint Technical Review served as a venue for the stakeholders to discuss and give their inputs for the enhancement of the drafted CIPs.     

IPLAN Component Head Roberto Hipolao said the CIP is a very significant tool that both the government and the private sector can make use of in pursuing investments in agricultural and fishery development endeavors.