Third project planning meeting held in Tagbilaran March 7-13, 2015

Post date: Sep 22, 2015 6:22:57 PM

Review of progress at the three core sites

• Common approaches across all groups were-baseline survey of farmers in all sites, social mapping analysis, community planning workshops, M&E, pre and post training assessment

• Activities were 'farmer-driven' a characteristic of approach, with mixed farming systems, so commodities vary with site.

Key Activities included:

Koronadal City (South Cotobato) – established very effective linkages with municipal and barangay LGUs; strengthened MLGU activity and organisational governance through improved seedling provision, nursery, and seed provision for corn and cocoa; provided training on nursery production and cocoa-based agroforestry.

Ampatuan (Maguindanao) - provided training through Farmer Field Schools and farmer learning sites on farm planning, contour farming, vermi-composting, nursery development, cocoa-based agroforestry; development of barangay (LGU) learning site, local women's organisation involved; firmed up linkages with municipal and barangay LGUs and strategic linkages at Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) level; facilitation support for organisational strengthening of Indigenous Peoples (IP) groups.

Cross-visits by farmers from the above two locations allowed farmers exposure and subsequent choosing of technologies - the farmers want to follow up at home in their own communities.

Ipil (Zamboanga Sibugay) – established very effective linkages at provincial, municipal and barangay LGU level, as well as with NGOs; identified livestock farming and intercropping with vegetables as key strategies to increase income; provided training in farm planning and vegetable growing (modules include seed germination and land preparation, fertiliser use, pest and disease management, harvesting and post harvest handling); trained women in small ruminant production; established base in the remote sitio of Katipunan where an innovative program of community development and training has been commenced.

Review of research activities

A series of project working papers has been written (available on this website: https://sites.google.com/site/improvedextensionproject.   Other papers are in process and the concept of project working papers appears to be a successful mechanism for achieving written output in a timely manner.  A brief outline of the contents of the working papers is shown below:

PAG Discussion

This was of a confidential nature revolving around project outscaling.