A dynamic information exchange and capacitation through actual learning experiences is currently adopted by the PCC Participatory Monitoring and Evaluation Team (PMET) as a strategy to improve the operations of cooperatives in the National Impact Zone.
This was done through a series of “Lakbay-Aral” in selected areas across Luzon.
This initiative of the PCC NIZ is seen to support a more vibrant carabao industry imbued with strong cooperatives.
The NIZ team said that the “Lakbay-Aral” aimed to expose the PCC farmer-partners to the current developments in the carabao industry such as improved production management systems and business opportunities outside the typical workplace of the cooperatives.
“Ang General Trias Dairy Raisers MPC, sa tulong ng kanilang plant manager at vice-chairman, ay nagbahagi sa amin kung paano sila nagsimula at umunlad sa negosyo ng paggagatas ng kalabaw. Bagama’t maraming balakid katulad ng paghahanap ng merkado para sa gatas ay hindi sila sumuko. Sa kasalukuyan, mayroon na silang outlets maging sa mga karati-bayan at unti-unti na ring nakikilala ang kanilang mga produkto,” Gerard F. Delos Santos, Casile Farmer Dairy Cooperative Chairman, said.
The “Lakbay-Aral” was participated by select 45 PMET members who were evaluated by the NIZ team based on their performance and active involvement in the activities of their respective cooperatives.
Cooperative leaders, members of the board of directors and village-based artificial insemination technicians (VBAITs) were mostly the ones who were to participate in the activity.
The first batch of farmers who joined the educational field trip last September 19-21 visited Bulacan Dairy Multi-Purpose Cooperative (MPC), Sta. Maria Dairy Farmers MPC, Department of Agriculture (DA)-Agricultural Training Institute, DA-Bureau of Agricultural Research, DA-Bureau of Soils and Water Management, and Mapinia Crossbred Cooperative in Magalang, Pampanga.
The second batch which was mainly joined by cooperative chairpersons went to Hacienda Macalauan in Laguna, University of the Philippines-Los Baños (Biotech, Institute of Plant Breeding, and National Crop Protection Center), General Trias Dairy Raisers MPC and Tagaytay beef and carabeef market.
The on-site field visit also included lecture-discussions and actual demonstrations of animal-production related activities.
Each was assigned a team leader who will consolidate all the learnings and observations that the group was able to encounter. This report is then processed among the team members.
The participants are expected to re-echo their learnings to the other members of their cooperative during regular meetings.
The rest of the “Lakbay-Aral” series are expected to be completed until the second week of November.
