Vegetable growers in the Philippines on Wednesday moved a step closer to boosting productivity down the line as the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) implemented phase 2 of the ongoing technical cooperation on market-driven enhancements of the vegetable value chain (MV2C-TCP) program.
The endeavor aims to strengthen the vegetable value chain by implementing inclusive business models that increases farmer incomes and a product of discussion between the Philippines and JICA in October 2021.
“The premise is simple. By training vegetable growers in the best technologies and cultivation techniques, we increase farm productivity. And by building profitable partnerships among growers, processors and marketing entrepreneurs, we develop a viable business model by which all vegetable farmers might generate the best possible income from their increased production,” said Department of Agriculture senior undersecretary Domingo Panganiban.
MV2C runs from 2023 through 2028 and divided into planning and implementation phases.
The planning phase has just been completed from which a value chain survey and roadmap pave the way for the program to pilot in Benguet, specifically La Trinidad, Buguias, Atok, Kibungan and Mankayan and in Quezon province, particularly Dolores, Sariaya, Gumaca, Lopez and even in Metro Manila.
Sakamoto Takema, JICA chief representative, said theiteam envisions to work not only with farmers and the national government but also with the business sector and consumers.
“Our project will develop inclusive food value chain models which should be replicable in other hazard areas in the country. The development of inclusive value chain models will be dependent on the success of implementation of pilot projects in Benguet, Quezon and Metro Manila,” Takema said.
JICA has already dispatched experts to the pilot provinces to share their technical guidance and experience in the model value chain.
Meanwhile, the Technology Advice and Solutions from Korea (TASK) has extended a three-year official development assistance (ODA) program providing guidance to ten selected machinery manufacturers and fabricators in the country.
The ODA is led by the Korea Association of Machinery Industry (KOAMI) with the Korea Agricultural Machinery Industry Cooperative (KAMICO) and the Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization (PhilMech) as implementing partners.
Beneficiaries will be upskilled through the technical know-how and experience of experts from KOAMI, KAMICO and PhilMech.
The South Korean ODA is consistent with the country’s three-year agriculture development program as the DA pushes for the mechanization of agriculture to address productivity gaps in the sector.
