Collaborative Research, Development and Extension Services (CRDES) for food security in Regios 4A, 4B,and 5

Agnes C. Rola

Date

2014

Abstract

The main objective of this project is to forge and strengthen partnerships among the Department of Agriculture Regional Field Offices, the state colleges and universities and the local government units in Regions 4A, and 5 to attain food security goal, focusing on rice security. Partnerships will be reflected in provincial food security plans and programs being crafted at the local government units' level as product to joint planning and implementation by the DA [Department of Agriculture] SCUs [state colleges and universities], and LGUs [Local Government Units]. One aim of this project is for the state colleges and universities in the areas to be actively involved in the agricultural programs on food security. The study provinces are located in Albay, Camarines Sur, Occidental and Oriental Mindoro, and Quezon [Philippines]. With a total project budget of Php 30 Million, the project was implemented for 2 and a half year (August 1, 2009 to January 31, 2012). Subsequently, extension periods (February 1, 2012 to October 31 , 2014) were requested and approved to monitor the activities that were started in the earlier two and a half years. During this project review in March 2010, it was suggested that the project focus on the three key result areas namely: 1) seed system improvement, 2)extension system strengthening, and 3)improved provincial rice action planning. To achieve aforementioned targets, corresponding activities were initiated. For seed system improvement, activities focused on trainings and consultations on soil testing, vermicomposting, how to deal with pest infestation, and community, seed banking. Technical demonstrations on registered and certified seeds were also carried out in low yielding areas along with trainings for seed growers on entrepreneurship. These trainings, coupled with action planning workshops then led to the establishment of farm techno demos in selected barangays [villages] under the project sites. Rollover of various farm inputs (seeds and fertilizers) to farmer cooperators was initiated. The said schemes were deemed a success in the municipality of Lopez and Padre Burgos, Quezon, Aborlan in Palawan, Libon in Albay, and the municipality of Bula in Camarines Sur - farmers associations were able to increase their funds through the said activity. Through the CRDES Program, farmers were able to get more information on farm technologies and appropriate farm practices. Yield of the farmer beneficiaries from irrigated areas have improved from cropping season 2008-2009 to cropping season 2012-2013. This is properly highlightened in the study entitled 'Assessing the Productivity and Profitability Outcomes of Seed Choice Behaviour of Rice Farmers: A Case Study in Southern Tagalog and Bicol, Philippines'. For the second key results area, strengthening the extension system, round table discussions were carried out with partner SUCs and CHED officials on the creation of an extension division in the SUCs. Presidents of all 16 provincial SUCs in Region 4A, 4B and 5 attended such event. Project members also participated in Senate hearings on the most effective structure of the extension system. Trainings on research proposal development, Geographic Information System – based soil fertility mapping and seed inspection and accreditation were conducted and Seed Diagnostic Laboratories were put up in partner SUCs (TESDA-QNAS, WPU, CBSUA, and BU) with the aim of serving as a converging center for rice education in each of the provinces they are located in. The CRDES project also released a policy brief entitled 'Strengthening Agricultural Extension Function of State Universities and Colleges'. The said output, which was submitted to the Commission on the Higher Education (CHED)and the Department of Budget and Management (DBM), cites the need to create more items in the Research and Extension Division of SUCs. It is hoped that a house and senate bill based on the policy paper can be crafted for this purpose. Aside from the policy brief, the CRDES program was also able to publish two journal articles entitled 'Rice Marketing System in Southern Luzon Philippines' and 'Lessons on Forging Sustainable to Partnerships for Rice Self Sufficiency in CALABARZON [Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon], MIMAROPA [Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, Palawan], and the Bicol Regions, and two books namely 'Partnership for Food Security in the Philippines' and 'Policy Perspectives for Food Security: Southern Tagalog and Bicol Region.

Language

English

Document Type

Terminal Report

Pages /Collation

115 leaves

En – AGROVOC descriptors

FOOD SECURITY; UNIVERSITIES; EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS; LOCAL GOVERNMENT; RICE; EXTENSION ACTIVITIES; FARMS; TECHNOLOGY; PHILIPPINES

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