Farmers’ associations (FAs) under the Department of Agriculture – Special Area for Agricultural Development (DA-SAAD) Program in the Ilocos Region are moving beyond production activities toward more structured enterprise management after completing a series of workshops that guided them in developing Enterprise Operations Manuals (EOMs) for their organizations.
Held last June 16 to 26 across Ilocos Sur, Ilocos Norte, and La Union, the training-workshops brought together 120 members from four SAAD-supported farmer associations to prepare operational manuals that will serve as their enterprise roadmaps.
Facilitated by SAAD Associate Project Officer Fridlee O. Rodriguez with support from the Municipal Agriculture Offices, the activity forms part of the program’s continuing effort to strengthen farmer organizations as sustainable community enterprises.
Unlike ordinary training manuals, an EOM establishes how an organization manages its day-to-day operations from production scheduling and financial management to marketing strategies, organizational responsibilities, and decision-making processes. By documenting these systems, farmer associations create a common framework that guides members toward consistent and coordinated enterprise operations.
The June workshops succeeded the initial EOM orientation conducted last May, allowing participating organizations to translate concepts into working operational plans tailored to their respective enterprises.
Members of the Alisto Progreso Bungro Kababaihan Farmers Association in San Ildefonso, Ilocos Sur focused on improving internal coordination and defining organizational workflows for enterprise management. In Burgos, Ilocos Norte, the Bobon Farmers Association strengthened its operational planning by refining production systems and emphasizing the importance of organized financial and production records.
Meanwhile, the Delles Burgos La Union Livelihood Association in Burgos, La Union aligned its enterprise plans with market demand, reinforcing the role of market-oriented production in improving enterprise viability. In Pugo, La Union, the Palina Amianan Farmers Association enhanced its draft manual by strengthening its marketing and financial planning strategies.
While each association addressed different operational concerns, the workshops underscored a common shift in perspective, from managing individual farming activities to operating as organized enterprises that require shared planning, documented systems, and collective accountability.
By the conclusion of the training series, each participating organization had produced a draft Enterprise Operations Manual that will continue to be refined as the associations implement and evaluate their enterprises. More than a workshop output, the manuals provide farmer organizations with a practical governance tool for coordinating operations, improving decision-making, and sustaining community-based agricultural enterprises beyond project implementation. ###
