Following the launch of the Agribusiness Master Class (AMC) in November 2019, the 2nd Module of the Class was held on February 24-28, 2020 at Quest Hotel Clark, Pampanga. This time, the five-day class targeted to instill value chain thinking with a look through the lenses of social inclusion, gender, and climate change.
AMC Philippines is a joint collaboration of Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR) and the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development (PCAARRD), together with Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), Foodlink Advocacy Co-operative and the University of Queensland.
Participants of the 2nd Module were from the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), PCAARRD, University of the Philippines (UP) Mindanao, UP Los Baños (UPLB), Visayas State University (VSU), University of Southeastern Philippines (USeP), Central Luzon State University (CLSU), Aboitiz Foundation, Rooted Seed Stories Corp., Farmwatch Solutions Inc., Foodlink Advocacy Co-operative, Grow Asia, Apostol Techno-Demo Learning Farm, Inc., and San Felipe Cooperative.
Meanwhile, mentors for Module 2 included Dr. Lilly Lim-Camacho, Researcher Group Leader of CSIRO; Ms. Michaela Cosijn, CSIRO International Development Researcher; Dr. Gomathy Palaniappan, University of Queensland Fellow; and Mr. Anton Simon Palo, General Manager of Foodlink Advocacy Co-operative.
Day 1 focused on the presentations of initial results of five ‘mini-projects,’ which the participants conducted for almost two months - from the completion date of Module 1 up to the beginning of Module 2. These include value chain analysis of ‘Palengke Boy,’ tilapia, mango, livestock, and cacao industries.
These ‘mini projects’ will be the final group output of the participants that they need to work on and develop through their AMC journey. They have to apply the skills and knowledge they have learned from each of the modules into their respective projects.
Also on Day 1, a panel talk was held, wherein three guest speakers – Mr. Boysie Sabino of East West Seed Foundation; Ms. Caroline Pedragosa, Development Consultant, and Mr. Stephen Arlon Lapid, Officer-in-Charge of Post-Harvest and Marketing Unit of Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) Region 3. The panel shared their experiences and challenges in moving towards socially-inclusive and climate-resilient agribusiness value chains.
The next two days were allotted to discussion and exercises on the definition of inclusive value chain, importance of engaging women and the marginalized sector, identifying possible entry points for inclusion, challenges and risks of inclusion, importance of incorporating climate change lens, understanding climate risks and vulnerability, and identifying and evaluating climate adaptation options and challenges in doing so.
On Day 4, participants were grouped into five and were deployed in Pampanga and Bataan to conduct their rapid value chain assessment focusing on social inclusion and climate change. In the following industries: rice, tilapia, mango, coffee, and coconut. Results of their field visits were presented on Day 5, the last day.
Dr. Melvin Carlos, PCAARRD Deputy Executive Director for Administration, Resource Management, and Support Services assured the continued support and funding for Module 3, and strengthened partnership with ACIAR and CSIRO, among others. He also said that PCAARRD will do its part and work on integrating gender, social inclusion, and climate lenses in its projects and programs and understanding further the ‘value’ of projects to its beneficiaries. Lastly, he encouraged the participants to take ‘baby steps’ towards the development of more inclusive value chains in the country.
AMC is a three-module class that aims to develop the participants’ knowledge and skills needed to influence the agribusiness value chain development in the country. Specifically, it targets to embed value chain thinking in designing and planning projects and programs in the respective sectors of the participants.
While Module 2 focused on delving deeper into how chains work while looking through inclusivity, gender, and climate lenses, Module 3 will equip participants with skills and knowledge on how to develop and evaluate value chain strategies.
Read more on AMC Module 1 at http://www.pcaarrd.dost.gov.ph/home/portal/index.php/quick-information-dispatch/3614-agribusiness-master-class-philippines-kicks-off.
