Through the Department of Agriculture – Special Area for Agricultural Development (DA-SAAD) Program’s Social Preparation arm, capacity-building trainings focused on strengthening collaboration and diplomacy among stakeholders continue to run in batches for farmers’ associations (FAs) in the Bicol Region from March to August 2026.
The SAAD Bicol continued its social preparation efforts for FY 2026 with a community-driven approach to solidifying interpersonal relationships with agencies and other organizations that can help the SAAD FAs strengthen their production through collaborative interventions, activities, and other technical support, anchored on this year’s Organizational Strengthening: Network and Linkage Training. Through this, the FAs can support both their production and the establishment of their community-based enterprises (CBEs).
The activity is conducted by batches and is set to conclude on July 22, 2026. Each training is facilitated by personnel from the Catanduanes State University – College of Agriculture and Fisheries, for Catanduanes FAs; Dr. Emilio B. Espinosa Sr. Memorial State College of Agriculture and Technology (DEBESMSCAT) for FAs in Masbate, and Sorsogon State University for Sorsogon FAs. The training session is structured into modules covering the benefits and challenges of forming partnerships with different organizations.
During the training, participants were oriented on effective partnership-building strategies, networking approaches, and mechanisms for accessing government and institutional support. The activity also served as a venue for sharing experiences, challenges, and best practices among farmer organizations.
As part of the training, participants were tasked to do a “buyer meeting” role-play, which allowed them to simulate real-life scenarios in dealing with potential partners and stakeholders. The activity helped enhance their confidence and practical skills in negotiation and communication. At the end of the sessions, participants were guided in crafting action plans and proposals for their prospective partners.
The participants expressed appreciation for the training, noting that it provided clearer pathways for seeking assistance and strengthened their understanding of how to coordinate with partner agencies.
“Damo kamin naaraman dahil sani na training. Isad na dida an kun diin kami makakuha san bulig para makakuha san pondo pandagdag sa amon pagatanom, pati na din an proseso kag kun papan-o kami maka connect sa iba na agencies. Importante gayod na kami nagkakairisad para mas mapalago pa namon an amon asosasyon,” said Cañares Rural Improvement Club Secretary Janice E. Lauren.
(We gained a lot of knowledge from this training. One of the key learnings is where we can seek assistance to access funding for our farming activities, as well as the proper process, and how we can connect with other agencies. We must remain united so we can further strengthen and develop our association.)
Parallel to this initiative, the DA-SAAD Program will continue to implement the remaining training sessions under the Marketing Assistance and Enterprise Development (MAED) component. The program will also conduct follow-through activities and regular monitoring to track on-the-ground progress and ensure that gains from the training are utilized. ###
Source:
Rea T. Ortiz, Associate Project Officer II
John Paul C. Ibayan, DA- SAAD Community Development Officer II
Christian Lloyd B. Cantonjos, Community Development Officer II
Rose-Ann R. Trabado, Community Development Officer II
