To boost the marketing capacities of rural farmers and equip them for a competitive agribusiness environment, the Department of Agriculture – Special Area for Agricultural Development (DA-SAAD) Program Phase 2 in the Zamboanga Peninsula rolled out a region-wide training on market analysis and selling strategies for 39 farmers’ associations (FAs).
From May 16 to July 4, 2025, participants from 20 municipalities across Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur, and Zamboanga Sibugay engaged in sessions on “Understanding Market and Marketing” and “Effective Selling Skills,” led by the Program’s Marketing Assistance and Enterprise Development (MAED) sub-unit.
The training focused on enhancing participants’ ability to analyze market trends, identify potential buyers, apply pricing strategies, and adopt consumer-responsive approaches—guiding farmers not just on what to grow, but also on when and how to sell their produce.
MAED staff Reena Marie Clemente and Benhar Abunawas served as the primary resource speakers. They introduced the 4Ps of marketing (Product, Price, Place, Promotion), buyer behavior, value-adding, and marketing channel selection, tailored to farmers navigating emerging and local markets.
Participants were tasked to apply what they learned by mapping their own supply chains—identifying key products, market outlets, and delivery schedules in their areas. They also conducted SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats) analyses, drawing from their real-time business challenges.
For many attendees, the training was an eye-opener.
“Dako kaayo mig pasalamat ani nga training, nga nasabtan na gyud namo paunsa ang sitwasyon sa demand ug supply… Wa mi kabalo kung nimahal na diay ang itlog, unya nagpabilin ra amoang presyo nga barato. So karon, nasabtan na namo na tanan. Salamat kaayo ani nga training,” said Margielyn Maghinay, treasurer of Tinglan Farmers Association and manager of their SAAD-supported egg production project.
(We are very thankful for this training because we finally understood how demand and supply work. We didn’t realize the price of eggs had increased while we were still selling at a lower rate. Now we understand. We’re very grateful for this.)
Through this initiative, SAAD ZamPen reinforces its mandate not just to provide inputs and training for production, but also to cultivate entrepreneurial capacities—supporting farmers in becoming informed, adaptive, and market-ready.
As the Program moves into the second half of 2025, capacity-building remains a cornerstone of SAAD’s inclusive rural development approach. ###
