Reinforcing its commitment to building resilient and self-sustaining farmer organizations, the Department of Agriculture – Special Area for Agricultural Development (DA-SAAD) Program in Central Visayas convened representatives from its 16 assisted farmers’ associations during the Stakeholders Consultative Meeting held in Cebu City last June 30, 2026.
The activity brought together farmer leaders and program implementers to strengthen collaboration and support the sustained implementation of DA-SAAD livelihood interventions across the region.
The consultative meeting served as a platform for dialogue, collaboration, and convergence among key stakeholders to assess the current status of beneficiary organizations, discuss implementation concerns, and identify strategies to empower the sustainability of SAAD-supported livelihood enterprises. It also provided participants with an opportunity to exchange experiences, share best practices, and recommend measures that will further improve program implementation and organizational development.
Around 60 participants joined the activity, including representatives from the 16 DA-SAAD-assisted farmer associations (FAs) in Cebu, personnel from the Regional Program Support Management Office (RPSMO) and Provincial Program Management Support Office (PPMSO) Cebu, as well as representatives from partner government agencies.
Joining the meeting were Mr. Jerome Mabag, Senior Agriculturist and Planning Officer of the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPA); Mr. Gerin Vergata, Division Chief of the Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) Development Division of the Department of Trade and Industry Region VII (DTI-7); Mr. Raymundo Belangoy, Senior Labor and Employment Officer of the Department of Labor and Employment Region VII (DOLE-7); and Ms. Maria Jerlyn M. Gumapak, Action Insurance Underwriter of the Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation (PCIC).
Also present was Mr. Noli N. Rasonabe, Officer-in-Charge – Agricultural Program Coordinating Officer (OIC-APCO) of Cebu, who emphasized that the consultative meeting was designed to strengthen collaboration between DA-SAAD and its partner farmer organizations while providing an avenue for addressing their concerns.
“Naa mi diri para maminaw sa inyong mga kanya-kanya nga problema sa asosasyon ug mosuggest og possible nga solusyon ana. Usa pud sa reason ani nga activity kay para mapahingusgan pud nato ang kolaborasyon sa DA-SAAD ug kaninyo. Pinaagi pud ani nga activity makahibaw sab mi unsaon pa pag-improve ang pag-implementar sa programa paingon sa sustainable agriculture,” Rasonabe said.
(We are here to listen to the different concerns of your associations and suggest possible solutions. This activity also aims to strengthen the collaboration between DA-SAAD and your organizations. Through this consultative meeting, we can identify ways to further improve the implementation of the program toward sustainable agriculture.)
SAAD Report Officer Jerrylyn Lamoste also reiterated during the rationale the importance of the said activity.
“Today’s meeting also reflects our commitment to convergence and collaboration. By bringing together our partner government agencies, we aim to connect our farmers with programs and services that can complement the assistance provided under SAAD,” Lamoste shared.
A key highlight of the activity was the presentation of financial reports, production data, and organizational updates by each of the 16 FAs. The presentations enabled the associations to showcase the progress of their respective enterprises while openly discussing operational challenges, organizational concerns, and areas where additional technical and institutional support may be needed.
The open forum that followed encouraged meaningful discussions between the farmer associations, DA-SAAD implementers, and partner agencies, allowing stakeholders to collectively identify practical interventions and strategies that can further improve project implementation and organizational performance.
Meanwhile, representatives from OPA, DTI-7, DOLE-7, and PCIC introduced the various programs and services that the farmer associations may avail to complement their existing DA-SAAD interventions. These included enterprise development assistance, business and market support, agricultural extension services, and crop insurance programs aimed at enhancing the resilience of farmers against production risks.
By linking beneficiaries to complementary government services and strengthening institutional partnerships, the program continues to promote resilient enterprises, improved livelihoods, and sustainable agricultural development across Central Visayas.
As DA-SAAD transitions toward its succeeding phase, activities such as the Stakeholders Consultative Meeting remain vital in ensuring that farmer associations are equipped not only with production support but also with the knowledge, networks, and institutional linkages necessary to sustain and expand their agricultural projects in the years ahead.
