DA-PRDP 10 evaluates a coffee enterprise subproject in Maramag town.
MARAMAG, BUKIDNON – To gauge the emerging benefits of the interventions given by the Department of Agriculture – Philippine Rural Development Project to the Rural Improvement Club Federation of Kape Maramag (RIC Kape Maramag), the team from the Regional Project Coordination Office (RPCO) 10 conducted a week-long Rapid Appraisal for Emerging Benefits (RAEB) for the Coffee Processing and Marketing Enterprise subproject on February 5-9, in this town.
To successfully assess the impact of the subproject, assessment tools such as Key Informant Interviews (KII), Focused Group Discussions (FGD), Household Interviews (HH), and spot interviews were used to draw responses from the officers and members of the RIC Kape Maramag, representatives from the Local Government Unit of Maramag, traders, and stakeholders involved in the subproject.
DA-10 Regional Executive Director and DA-PRDP 10 Project Director Carlene C. Collado emphasized that the activity is vital to pinpoint the subproject’s impacts and, at the same time, take necessary actions to the concerns that were identified after the evaluation.
“Our assistance does not stop during the turnover of the project. We are aiming for the long-term benefits for our beneficiaries” Dir. Collado said.
During the spot interview, Cherewilde B. Alerta, a coffee farmer and a member of the RIC, was able to enjoy the benefits brought by the interventions of DA-PRDP to RIC Kape Maramag.
“I started planting coffee in 2004. Before Kape Maramag was established, we sold our coffee produce to other buyers at a very cheap price because middlemen kept on meddling. Now, with Kape Maramag, we are assured of a market that will pay a better price.”
He further shared, “ I felt changes when DA-PRDP assisted the RIC. Our produce is being picked-up from our farm through their hauling vehicle which helped us save for transport costs. We are no longer paying Php 350.00 per hauling.”
He said that they have access to post harvest facilities that help maintain quality of their produce and other coffee farmers have benefited from the services of RIC. For that, he extended his gratitude to the RIC and to DA-PRDP.
Another farmer-beneficiary, Cornelio G. Eraya, Jr., was also able to expand his farm through the use of the solar-drying facility.
“I am thankful to DA-PRDP and to RIC Kape Maramag for placing the solar dryer facility near our farms. This has been very useful for us in ensuring the quality of our produce, thus, helping us earn more income.”
Eraya started with just a hectare of land to plant coffee but now, he was able to buy and expand his coffee farm to 30 hectares.
He added, “I believe that the DA-PRDP and the RIC Kape Maramag, through their assistance to us, are instrumental for me to reach this feat.”
For this, he is thankful to the government through the DA-PRDP, who are instrumental in making sure that coffee farmers like him were assisted with various interventions.
Led by the Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) Unit, the activity is conducted a year after the subproject was turned over.
The result of the RAEB will be consolidated as it will determine the effectiveness of the subproject and will also serve as benchmark in granting same project to other beneficiaries. #