May 2016
Balik Uma Updates
The month of May brought forth more activities for ISEDI and BALSA, as both organizations endeavored to improve the lives of the farmers covered by the Balik Uma project. ISEDI and BALSA staff met in Haran to identify several types of farm tools to be purchased based on the farmers’ needs. These farm tools included scythes, digging bars, pickaxes, sprayers, and shovels. During the same meeting, it was also decided that the Food for work will also be provided to the farmers while they are working in their farms. A total of 175 scythes, twenty five (25) digging bars, thirty (30) shovels, fifty (50) pickaxes, and ten (10) sprayers, along with fifty sacks of rice were purchased.
April 2016
ISEDI in Thailand
The staff of ISEDI went on a six-day Learning Expedition trip to Thailand on April 7 to 13, 2016. During the trip, the staff were inspired by the Thai government’s support for their Micro Small Medium Enterprises (MSMEs). The Thai government plays a major role in the development of their MSMEs by assisting them in the acquisition of Food Safety and Quality Standards, providing them with a link to International Partners, and setting up of Credit Banks. This level of support comes as no surprise, as MSMEs play a significant role in Thailand’s economy.
MSMEs enjoy the Thai government’s assistance in developing the quality of the community’s products through the “One Tambon, One Product (OTOP)” program and..
March 2016
DAR ARCCESS – PPM Batch 3
ISEDI, in its capacity as the PPM Service provider for DAR ARCCESS Batch 3, has monitored the series of activities conducted by DOSE. As the Agri-Extension service provider, DOSE carried out Training Needs Assessment (TNA) and Direction Setting for the ARBOs in Compostela Valley, Davao del Norte, Davao City and Davao del Sur from March 1 to March 15, 2016. The activities were designed to determine which interventions were needed and at the same time, inform the ARBOs about DOSE’s intentions as the AES. The activities were participated by officers and potential farmer technicians of each ARBO.
DOSE’s activities continued on March 28-29 with the conduct of the Training on Cacao Technology on Production Management. Twenty five (25) Farmer Technicians (FT’s) attended the training as well as some of the PHMPC BOD located in Purok 5, Sitio Baracayo, Brgy. Daliaon Plantation, Toril District, Davao City. The two (2) day activity’s main focus was on top grafting technology in raising cacao.
February 2016
UP-Valuing and Village Level Processing Center Enhancement Project (VLCEP) – Department of Agrarian Reform (Province of Davao del Norte, Davao del Sur, Davao Oriental and Davao City)
The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR)’s Up-Valuing Support Project is helping selected Agrarian Reform Beneficiary Organizations (ARBOs) improve their market performance through product development and market development. The Institute for Socio-Economic Development Initiatives (ISEDI) of the Ateneo de Davao University (ISEDI-AdDU) was commissioned by DARRO XI in October 2015 to assist at least 1 ARBO per province in the conduct of the simplified market study, a series of capacity building activities, composed of technical advice, mentoring, and formal training and FDA Accreditation. The ARBOs included in this project (Up-Valuing Support or UVS) are: AMS Employees Fresh Fruits Producers Cooperative (AMSEFPCO); Agraryong Reporma Samahang Kababaihan (ARSK); DAVECO Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Cooperative The ARBOs come from Davao City, Davao del Norte, Davao Oriental and Davao del Sur areas in the Davao Region. Two of the ARBOs are producing banana flour, and the rest are producing durian yema and pastillas, squash pancit canton, pineapple and coco vinegar, banana chips and coco-corn co fee. As of press time, ISEDI is focusing its efforts on completing the task that have yet to be implemented for the two (2) assisted ARBOs in Davao del Sur.
January 2016
Batch 3 of DARRO XI’s ARCCESS Kicks Off
On January 8, 2016, ISEDI officially began its activities as the Progress and Process Monitoring (PPM) service provider of the DAR – ARCCESS Project for Batch 3 (Lot 11- PPM-A and Lot 11 PPM-B). This batch covers four (4) provinces in Region XI; Davao City, Davao del Norte, Davao del Sur and Compostela Valley.