PAKISAMA conducts National Learning
Workshop on Agri-coops in Quezon City
August 27, 2015 | Quezon City
On August 27, 2015, PAKISAMA organized a National Learning Workshop on “Developing Service Delivery Capacity of National Farmers’ Organizations (FOs) on Sustainable Agro-Enterprise through Knowledge-Sharing and Innovation in the Philippines”. The workshop brought together PAKISAMA’s primary agri-coop members already doing agri-business and providing services to their members.
Twenty-one (21) farmer/fisher leaders from 20 primary agri-coops in 15 provinces, and 16 staff, agri-agency and network partners participated in the workshop, with women comprising 45% of total. The participating agri-coops were: MARCCO/KALAMANSI and CASEMPCO (Oriental Mindoro); CNOFA (Aurora); PADC/GPPC, CAMPC and PDCI (Camarines Sur); SAMBA PNSU (Antipolo); BINHI (Albay); SAMALO (Quezon); CSNMPC (Bohol); Tumalalud FMPC (Capiz); OFMPC (Leyte); APCO and LAMPUFACO (Agusan Sur); AFARBAMCO (Bukidnon); PANAW Sumilao MPC (Bukidnon); KFMPC (Lanao Sur); CAMPC (South Cotabato); KKPB (Agusan Norte); and LAKAMBINI, the women’s arm of PAKISAMA.
PAKISAMA presented the results of a scoping study it conducted to better understand and generate lessons on three successful agri-coop/enterprise models in the Philippines – (a) a primary agri-cooperative; (b) a national agri-financing coop federation works, and (c) a marketing corporation that supports primary agri-cooperatives.
Mr Rico Geron presented innovations made by the Sorosoro Ibaba Development Cooperative (SIDC), a primary agri-coop based in Batangas which has evolved for over 40 years from a small consumer store cooperative to a diversified hog feed milling and hog producers’ billionaire cooperative. SIDC has over Php 1.8 billion in assets and provides near complete services to its members’ hog production business – from pig stocks, feeds, veterinary extension services, marketing, meat processing, etc.
Mr Alejandro Almendral of the National Confederation of Cooperatives (NATCCO), a national agri-financing coop federation, gave an overview of the full package of services offered by NATCCO to its members. NATCCO has total assets of Php2.6 billion and presence in 77 out of 80 provinces nationwide.
Mr Bernie Berondo shared the experience of the Global Organic and Wellness Corporation (GlowCorp), a marketing company owned by agri-coops, NGOs and individuals from different regions in the country who are advocates of organic agriculture. GlowCorp’s mission is to be a market leader in organic products distribution and to promote economic development and empowerment of 6,500 family farming households.
The learning workshop was organized in partnership with the Asian Farmers Association (AFA), Asian Partnership for the Development of Human Resources in Rural Asia (AsiaDHRRA), Foundation for a Sustainable Society (FSSI) and Collectif Strategies Alimentaries (CSA).
For its first 25 years, the Pambansang Kilusan ng mga Samahang Magsasaka (PAKISAMA) has performed the role largely of an advocate for agrarian reform and rural development. However, it also has to attend to the economic needs of its members. Since 2010, PAKISAMA has been providing value-chain services directly to 3,000 farmers in 12 provinces organized by 60 primary cooperatives and associations. In 2014, PAKISAMA came to the conclusion that given its experience, agri-cooperatives can provide tremendous opportunities for individual men and women farmers and fishers to grow their farm businesses and increase their incomes. In June 2015, the National Assembly directed PAKISAMA to focus its work towards the establishment of a National Federation of Agri-Cooperatives.
Read full report here.
Photos available here.
