The local farmers of Nueva Vizcaya were the main focus of the five-day Field Visit of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) led by Assistant Secretary Mary Jean Pacheco and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) led by Chief of Party Vice Catudio, Jr. on 08-12 May 2023 as part of the Strengthening Private Enterprises for the Digital Economy (SPEED) Program.
As announced last February 2023, the Nueva Vizcaya Agricultural Terminal (NVAT) Inc. has been chosen as one of the program’s pilot areas in the entire country.
Aside from helping NVAT digitalize its processes and logistics operations, the SPEED Project also involves the integration of the E-Commerce platforms; the provision of assistance that will focus on the welfare of the farmers; the reduction of middlemen in the value chain of operations; and the provision and collection of accurate data on produce for better planning, among others.
Together with her team from the twin divisions of DTI Supply Chain and Logistics Management and E-Commerce, ASec. Pacheco and the USAID team met the Citrus, Onion, and Vegetable Farmers in Kasibu, Kayapa, and Aritao, Nueva Vizcaya.
Aside from assessing the place and the farmers’ readiness in terms of logistics and digitalization, the whole team also gathered first-hand information on the concerns and needs of the farmers which mainly revolved around pricing and marketing their produce, the need for cold storage facilities, and other related equipment and/or technology that will add more value.
Aside from the citrus, onion, cut flower, and vegetable farms, the team also visited the cold storage facilities in Aritao and NVAT that were awarded by the Department of Agriculture and the Aboitiz Group thru their Fresh Depot Project, respectively.
Moreover, the whole team also paid courtesy visits to the concerned government officials, specifically Governor Jose Gambito, Mayor Benjamin Cuaresma III of Bambang, Mayor Remelina Peros-Galam of Aritao, Vice Mayor Alberto Bumolo Jr. of Kasibu, and Vice Mayor Peter Bay-an of Kayapa, to gain their full support by discussing not only the details of the project and how it would help the province but also by suggesting interventions that the PLGU and the MLGUs can implement as counterparts to help the farmers. One example is the establishment of trading posts, wherein municipalities can consolidate their produce and eliminate the need for middlemen.
All the inputs gathered from the farmers, government officials, and other stakeholders during the field visit were recorded and discussed during the Co-Creation Workshop on 10-11 May 2023 at NVAT, Bambang, Nueva Vizcaya. (A separate full story was posted regarding this activity) Both teams from the DTI Head Office and USAID were accompanied by DTI R2 Regional Director Leah Pulido Ocampo, Assistant Regional Director Winston T. Singun, NVAT General Manager Gilbert Cumila, and Team DTI R2 Nueva Vizcaya led by Provincial Director Marietta B. Salviejo.
However, for the first time in Nueva Vizcaya, four of the biggest digital and/or online agribusiness platforms and renowned professionals came together physically at the Nueva Vizcaya Agricultural Terminal (NVAT) Inc. for the Co-Creation Workshop conducted by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) on 10-11 May 2023 as part of the Strengthening Private Enterprises for the Digital Economy (SPEED) Program.
This five-year project aims to enable small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to participate safely, reliably, and competitively in the country’s emerging e-commerce ecosystem.
As announced last February 2023 with the request of Trade Secretary Alfredo Pascual and as an offshoot of the Supra Regional Consultations Roadshow initiated in the region last year, the Nueva Vizcaya Agricultural Terminal (NVAT) Inc. was officially chosen as one of the program’s pilot areas in the entire country.
This workshop is already the second sub-activity under the said program following its kick-off in the first quarter of 2023, specifically, the Exploratory Visit conducted by USAID in the province.
This workshop aims to create a work plan outlining all the relevant activities identified thru the inputs of the concerned partners or stakeholders.
The participants composed of farmers, traders, NVAT Officials, and representatives from the academe, rural banks, and other partner agencies were welcomed by Congresswoman Luisa Cuaresma and Mayor Benjamin Cuaresma III, represented by Board Member Edu Balgos and Municipal Council Arnel Magdirilla.
The first day of the workshop revolved around helping the participants understand the importance and goals of the SPEED Project through the provision of overviews and discussion of developmental goals, among others by NVAT General Manager Gilbert Cumila, DTI Assistant Secretary Mary Jean Pacheco, and USAID Chief of Party Vice Catudio Jr.
Professor Richard Cruz from the Asian Institute of Management facilitated the workshop as he guided the participants in defining or citing the challenges encountered by farmers and the corresponding solutions that should be implemented. Some of the areas of concern raised included farm-to-market roads, post-harvest handling, mechanized farming, climate change resiliency, cold storage and food processing facilities, marketing and pricing system, and other health, education, and financial-related matters.
Board Member Roland Carub also shared his innovative concept for the establishment of an E-Bahay Kubo or “Online Palengke”, which can help farmers widen their markets and diversify the way they sell their produce. This concept was presented by Board Member Carub as his final output when he joined the first batch of DTI’s Kapatid Mentor Me – Online Program.
The second day of the workshop was allotted for the four of the biggest digital platforms in the country: Deliver-E, Agro Digital PH, Mayani, and Agrabah Ventures, to present their own programs and initiatives to help the local farmers.
After the discussions, the participants continued their workshop on priority mapping with the help of Prof. Cruz.
A separate dialogue and/or meeting between the digital platforms and NVAT will be scheduled for further discussion.
“Makakahinga na rin kami,” one of the farmer-participants said as they expressed their gratitude to all the agencies involved and their hope for the agriculture sector to get the recognition and support it deserves. They also emphasized the need for policies and programs that address the specific needs of farmers, including access to credit, improved infrastructure, modern technology, and fair market opportunities.
Both teams from the DTI Head Office and USAID were accompanied and assisted by Team DTI R2 Nueva Vizcaya led by Provincial Director Marietta B. Salviejo.
Posted on Facebook on May 11, 2023
