ZAMBOANGA PENINSULA, February 13, 2024 – To chart the course for effective program implementation in 2024, the Department of Agriculture – Special Area for Agricultural Development (DA-SAAD) Zamboanga Peninsula (ZamPen) conducted a Strategic Planning Workshop in Ipil, Zamboanga Sibugay from January 22 to 24.

Bringing together 28 SAAD ZamPen implementers, the workshop served as a platform to define clear, measurable objectives that align with the program’s FY 2024 physical and financial targets based on four (4) components: Program Management, Social Preparation, Production and Livelihood and Marketing Assistance and Enterprise Development.

A critical aspect of the workshop was the discussion on resource allocation. Participants deliberated on how to effectively distribute resources to achieve maximum impact and efficiency. This year, 20 farmers’ associations (FA) will receive additional support for their existing projects, while 19 new FAs will be given different projects based on the needs of the farmers and area suitability, as identified in the previously conducted Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA). A total of 475 target beneficiaries will benefit from these new projects.

SAAD Phase 2 was initiated in Region 9 last year, catering to 20 farmers’ associations from 20 municipalities: 8 from Zamboanga del Norte, 8 from Zamboanga del Sur, and 4 from Zamboanga Sibugay.

Risk management was another key focus of the workshop. Ms. Desiree Arriola, Agricultural Program Coordinating Officer in Zamboanga Sibugay, encouraged staff to reflect on previous challenges to identify potential risks and develop contingency plans to address them. This proactive approach ensures the program’s resilience in the face of unexpected events.

Meanwhile, SAAD Lead Engr. Nadzmar Abdulatip provided a re-orientation on the SAAD Program, including its components, goals, key strategies, project formulation, target beneficiaries, among others. He also discussed the operational plan template to be filled out by units and area coordinators by province, ensuring the systematic execution of target activities.

Major activities scheduled for this year include farmers’ profiling, Participatory Rural Appraisal for 2025, capacity development (CapDev), specialized and financial management training, LGU consultation for FY 2026 implementation, Farmers Associations’ Multi-Year planning, and farmers’ year-end assessment.

After the workshop, SAAD Social Preparation and Program Management (SPPM) lead, Marisol Opinio, discussed the social preparation guidelines, which include activities and  processes of social preparation, as well as the stages involved. Ernest Herbert Baird, the Information Technology and Database Development unit lead, addressed the new form of farmers’ profiling, which will be the first activity conducted by SAAD implementers this year.

With the interactive workshop concluded, the SAAD Phase 2 development workers are optimistic about accomplishing their deliverables on track and within the established timeline, while serving the marginalized farmers in the region. ###

Writer: Aimee Lou D. Madjus, DA-SAAD ZamPen Information Officer