The Organic Agriculture Program (OAP) of the Department of Agriculture Western Visayas (DA-WV) recently conducted an evaluation of livelihood project proposals submitted by organic practitioners, associations, and cooperatives in the region.
According to Andrew Palomar, Agriculturist II and OAP Focal Person, the initiative is part of the agency’s efforts to boost the supply of organic produce in the country. “Through these interventions, the Organic Agriculture Program aims to address the challenges faced by organic farmers. We are working closely with the National Organic Agriculture Board (NOAB), which reviews, screens, and evaluates proposals submitted by various organic Farmers’ Cooperatives and Associations (FCAs). Once approved by the Regional Executive Director, the proposals will be endorsed to the NOAB for further processing,” Palomar explained.
Six project proposals were presented and critiqued during the evaluation. These came from the following groups:
Dingle Family Farm School Inc.
DAO Organic Farming Practitioners and Traders Association
Tubungan Vegetable Producers Association
Negros Occidental Organic Farmers and Workers Association
AMIA Village Organic Farmers Association
Central Philippines State University (CPSU) Kabankalan CampusThese FCAs proposed various interventions, including the establishment of soil amendment production facilities, provision of pump and engine sets, construction of greenhouses with nursery facilities for organic vegetable production, livestock breeding facilities, and organic native chicken production, among others.
To ensure a thorough review, the panel of evaluators, led by Engr. Jane Octaviano, Engr. Jewel Von Limsiaco, Kelzie Aquino from the Planning, Monitoring, and Evaluation Division (PMED), as well as National Organic Agriculture Program staff Alexandria Sunga and Czarina Gricell Reyes, facilitated an open forum. The forum provided an opportunity for presenters to discuss their projects in more detail, covering aspects such as operational planning, financial viability, and marketing strategies.
In line with the Participatory Guarantee System (PGS), the OAP livelihood program aims to address key gaps in sustainability while strengthening the organic farming sector in the region. ### (Story and Photos by JNCapaciete/DA-RAFIS 6)