ProjectConverge Region 13

16/03/2023

27/01/2023

IN PHOTOS: Project ConVERGE Region 13 conducts coaching to assist the finalization of the Agusan del Sur Rice Enterprise Sustainability Plan. The team also assisted SAMPCO in developing the full blown proposal of its scale-up plan.

The said activity is expected to be conducted to the other enterprise clusters across the region.

20/01/2023

The last stop of the Environment & Social Safeguard Assessment (ESSA) and Economic Financial Analysis (EFA) focus group discussion series was conducted at the rice enterprise of Agusan del Sur on January 19, 2023.

The FGD was participated by representatives from the LARBO, PARBOs and stakeholders of the enterprise.

20/01/2023

The Project ConVERGE Environment & Social Safeguard Assessment (ESSA) and Economic Financial Analysis (EFA) team visited the in the coffee enterprise of Surigao del Sur as a part of a series of Focus Group Discussions last January 18, 2023

20/01/2023

IN PHOTOS: Environment & Social Safeguard Assessment (ESSA) and Economic Financial Analysis (EFA) focus group discussion for the coconet and biofertilizer enterprise of Surigao del Norte last November 17, 2023.

17/01/2023

Project ConVERGE kicks off its series of focus group discussions on Environment & Social Safeguard Assessment (ESSA) and Economic Financial Analysis (EFA) in the Abaca enterprise of Agusan del
Norte. The FGD was participated by the SIUFMULCO as the LARBO, along with its PARBOs CARBC, ZABVIOR and LGFA. The FGD team visited selected abaca areas in the cluster together with the project’s partner agencies DTI & PhilFIDA.

16/01/2023

The road to a resilient future runs through rural areas 🌾

24/11/2022

[NEWS] 𝐌𝐚𝐣𝐨𝐫 𝐃𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐩𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐚 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐆𝐄-𝐒𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐄𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐞𝐬 𝐍𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐛𝐲 𝐈𝐅𝐀𝐃 𝐌𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧

The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) recognizes the significant developments in the enterprises of Caraga under the Convergence on Value Chain Enhancement for Rural Growth and Empowerment (ConVERGE), a project implemented by the Department of Agrarian Reform. Developments were noted based on the recently concluded Supervision and Implementation Support (SIS) Mission conducted by IFAD as the project’s funding agency last November 14-18, 2022.

Among the objectives of the IFAD SIS Mission is to review the performance and progress of ConVERGE; evaluate the achievements, constraints and initial impacts of the project; and identify lessons learned in enterprise and project implementation.

The mission conducted a series of discussions, thematic meetings, field visits and focus group dialogues involving farmer-beneficiaries, stakeholders, collaborators and project implementers. Said activities were held across the four (4) Value Chain enterprise clusters in Caraga Region namely: the rice cluster in Agusan del Sur, abaca cluster in Agusan del Norte, coconet cluster in Surigao del Norte and coffee cluster in Surigao del Sur.

According to Ronald Chua, Value Chain and Finance Specialist, all the enterprises in Caraga are operating and benefits are already observed in the farm level based on the project’s interventions based on the information acquired during the presentations and field visits.

An increase of 23.3% in the on-farm annual income in the 4 Caraga enterprises was observed based on the 2021 Annual Outcome Survey.
Chua further stressed that with the significant developments noted, the forward plans of the enterprises should involve review and monitoring, continued collaborations with partners and stakeholders as well as further capacity building and strengthening of the enterprises.

Team leader and IFAD Acting Country Programme Officer Yolando Arban also highlighted that it is important to assess the project’s performance so lessons can be drawn to aid in the implementation of future IFAD projects and other value chain related undertakings.

ConVERGE National Project Director and DAR Caraga Regional Director Atty. Merlita S. Capinpuyan emphasized on the importance of the IFAD mission as a way of assessing the capacity of the ARBOs and identifying future interventions of mainstream DAR beyond project duration.

Various activities and interventions are set to be conducted for the Caraga enterprises as the project gears up for completion.

To know more about ConVERGE and its activities, visit https://projectconverge.ph/.

18/11/2022

The series of IFAD SIS Mission field visits capped off at SIUFMULCO in Santiago, the Lead Agrarian Reform Beneficiary Organization for the Abaca enterprise in Agusan del Norte.

As the LARBO of the TUJAKITSAN ARC Cluster, a dialogue was conducted between SIUFMULCO and IFAD, discussing on the good practices, future plans for expansion and other aspects of the enterprise. The mission was led by Mr. Yolando Arban, IFAD Acting Country Programme Officer along with Mr. Ronald Chua, Value Chain and Finance Specialist.

18/11/2022

IN PHOTOS: 2nd day of the IFAD SIS Mission field visit and dialogue at the Coconet and Biofertilizer Enterprise Cluster of Surigao del Norte. Present during the activity were the farmer-beneficiaries of the cluster, representatives from various stakeholders and the PPMO-Surigao del Norte, RPMO Caraga and CPMO consultants and personnel.

The beneficiaries thanked ConVERGE for the assistance and support provided to the cluster while expressing their intent to sustain and improve the enterprise.

17/11/2022

IN PHOTOS: The first day of the IFAD SIS Mission Field Visit continues at San Francisco, Agusan del Sur for a dialogue with the BATA Agrarian Reform Community Cluster coffee farmers.

Said dialogue allowed the Surigao del Sur farmer-beneficiaries to share their experiences and forward plans in order to sustain and further develop the coffee enterprise.