Tapping into the rich knowledge of key informants from different sectors of Barangay Gaban and Barangay Sapal in San Lorenzo, Guimaras, the Department of Agriculture – Special Area for Agricultural Development (DA-SAAD) Program in Western Visayas successfully completed the first two batches of its Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) activities, held last April 14–16 and April 28–30, 2026, respectively.
A total of 30 participants from each barangay took part in the activity, engaging in collaborative discussions and workshops facilitated by the PRA team. Before the sessions began, the team met with barangay officials to gather relevant documents for desk review and conducted an orientation to provide participants with an overview of the activity and its objectives.
Led by Operational Planning, Budget, Monitoring and Evaluation (OPBME) Lead Sheryl Mae Gaylan, the activity kicked off with an “istoryahan” session, in order to build rapport among the participants and help the team gauge the discussion orderly. Following this, the participants were grouped accordingly into three for the completion of each target tool.
Among the tools utilized were Village Mapping, Timeline and Trend Analysis, Seasonal Calendar, Institutional and Resource Flow Diagram, Cost and Return Analysis, Problem Identification and Ranking, and SWOT Analysis. These tools enabled the team to gather valuable information on the barangays’ geographical features, historical developments, livelihood patterns, institutional relationships, available resources, and key community concerns.
The completed activities in Barangays Gaban and Sapal are only the first among several PRAs scheduled to be conducted across target areas for SAAD expansion this year. Remaining PRA activities are expected to continue until August 2026.
Moreover, the results of the PRA from each barangay will be processed by the team and will be packaged into a comprehensive PRA report that would serve as the basis for the identification of projects to be delivered.
The activity, which has been instrumental in identifying and delivering appropriate packages to the beneficiaries, will help inform future projects and initiatives aimed at improving livelihood among areas identified for SAAD expansion in the region. ###
