MIMAROPA, February 15, 2024 – Enhancing the prospects for growth and sustainability within the Special Area for Agricultural Development (SAAD)-supported associations, the National Program Management Office (NPMO) introduced the Marketing Assistance and Enterprise Development (MAED) Guidelines in the MIMAROPA Region.

Held from February 5 to 9, in Odiongan, Romblon, SAAD NPMO MAED Sub-Unit Head Ashley Mae Apigo and SAAD MIMAROPA National Coordinator Engr. Jonalyn Racelis, alongside IT and Database Development Unit Head Randy Ocampo, led a five-day MAED activity focused on equipping the regional and provincial program implementers of SAAD MIMAROPA with the essential skills and strategies outlined in the MAED guidelines.

MAED, as the third component of the Program, focuses on market-related activities, aiming to enhance existing projects and potentially elevate them to community-based enterprises (CBEs). To achieve these goals, SAAD created a standardized set of functions, activities, and indicators to ensure smooth transition of Phase 2 beneficiaries from FAs to agripreneurs. 

Highlighting the importance of effective MAED implementation, SAAD MIMAROPA Regional Lead Marissa Vargas underscored the crucial role of guidelines in turning associations into sustainable CBEs.

“Mahalaga itong ginagawa natin para iisa ang ating guide para matulungan ang ating mga associations na maging CBE. Kailangan rin na i-counter check ng ating MAED Lead sa MIMAROPA ang mga data na ating makukuha sa farmers dahil makakaapekto ito sa profitability assessment ng ating mga association at dapat macheck natin kung talagang kumikita itong ating mga FCAs sa mga intervention na ating naprovide sa kanila,” said Vargas.

[What we are doing is important to make sure we have a consistent guide to help our associations become CBE. It’s also necessary for our MAED Lead in MIMAROPA to double-check the data we get from farmers because it affects the profitability assessment of our associations. We also need to check if our FCAs are really earning profit from the interventions we have provided them.]

Meanwhile, Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance Division (AMAD) staff Rustom Gonzaga and Marnell Pascual provided valuable insights into market data gathering and processing. Also, Romblon Agricultural Program Coordinating Officer Engr. Annaliza A. Escarilla attended the opening day, reinforcing the collective dedication to agricultural progress in the region.

After discussing the guidelines, the national staff, along with regional and provincial implementers, conducted a simulation on using MAED tools. They visited and interviewed the Camili Vegetable Growers Association in Barangay Camili, Alcantara, Romblon, to identify their marketable agricultural products. 

The group then moved on to market identification and mapping to locate existing and potential markets, including competitor locations. Following the activity, data collected, such as production costs, yield, demand, market status, and association income for the next five years, were analyzed and incorporated into the MAED forms.

Following this national activity, SAAD MIMAROPA plans to roll out the MAED guidelines in all its covered municipalities in Romblon, Palawan, and Occidental Mindoro. This rollout aims to reach 44 farmers associations during this fiscal year. ###

Writer: Melissa F. Lingco, DA-SAAD MIMAROPA Information Officer II