DAVAO REGION, June 27, 2024 – Through the efforts of the National Program Management Office (NPMO), the Marketing Assistance and Enterprise Development (MAED), an integral component of the Department of Agriculture – Special Area for Agricultural Development (DA-SAAD) Program’s Phase 2 implementation has been formalized for Davao Region last May 14-16, 2024. 

 

SAAD’s MAED arm institutionalizes the identification of markets, development of community-based enterprises (CBEs) among the farmers’ associations the program benefits, and standardizes market-related activities to sustain the livelihood programs doled out by the program, among others. Activities involved training, on-ground market data gathering, and data interpretation and application. 

 

“Ang end goal ng MAED, suportahan ang ating mga magsasaka na tumayo at magkaroon ng sariling pagkakakitaan [The end goal of MAED is to support our farmers to stand on their own through earning sustainable income (through community-based enterprises)],” emphasized SAAD’s OPBME Lead Darwin Pamatmat.

 

Served as the focal point of the MAED’s launch in the region was the Tomoaong Livestock Agriculture Association, a locally-organized farmers group in Tarragona, Davao Oriental. Said FA received two production projects which are layer chicken and corn.

 

Previously, the FA recorded more than Php130,000 net income from egg production. To augment their existing production, the FA will receive the sameprojects this year.

 

SAAD introduction of MAED expects that the FA will strengthen the group’s existing CBE efforts.

 

“Ang gaganda ng mga programa ng DA (DA’s programs are great. These programs will help them uplift their standard of living). Sa inyong mga kamay nakasalalay (We’ll rely in your hands) later on…how we can help the poorest of the poor here in our region,” said newly-minted Director for DA RFO XI Macario Gonzaga.

 

SAAD’s MAED rollout in Davao Region started late last year when the NPMO requested the RPMSO to identify an existing FA that has CBE potential.

 

Its introduction to the region targets to assess the viability and sustainability of the program’s projects as the SAAD NPMO standardized four CBE Profitability Assessment tools including benefit cost ratio (BCR), return on investment (ROI), net present value (NPV), and internal rate of return (IRR).

 

The three-day activity commenced with an orientation of the MAED guidelines including its tools of assessment to the RPMSO and PPMSO staff, specifically the program’s incoming regional MAED head and community development officers who will conduct the evaluation and assessment. 

 

On the succeeding days, the activity focused on on-ground immersion and data gathering in Tomoaong, Tarragona, then interpretation of collected data in the Department of Agriculture – Commercial Agriculture Research Station (DACARS) office in Mati City.

 

“Kani atong MAED ang makatubag kung unsaon jud pagpalungtad sa atoang mga asosasyon. Makatabang jud ni sa atong mga maguuma, ug unta magamit nila ang atoang mga recommendations para kung mahuman man ang SAAD, naa gihapon silay negosyo nga ilaha mismo,“ said Acting SAAD Davao Region MAED Head and incoming SPPM Lead Michelle Miñoza.

 

[This MAED should be the answer on how our associations can sustain their CBEs. It will help our farmers, and we hope that they’ll use the recommendations so that when SAAD ends, they’ll have a business to fall back on.]

 

Throughout this year, all existing SAAD Davao Region FAs will undergo the MAED assessment and evaluation. ###

 

#SAADPhase2

#DASAAD

#SAADDavaoRegion

#OKKAAYO

#MasaganangAgrikultura

#ParaSaMasaganangBagongPilipinas

 

Writer: James Brian Flaga, SAAD Davao Region PRDC

Photographer: Ronell Tangonan, SAAD Davao Region PRDC

Source: DA-SAAD Davao Region