Five Mangyan communities in Oriental Mindoro will soon enjoy improved socio-economic status through science and technology-based livelihood interventions.
This is the goal of the project, “S&T Community-Based Farm for Inclusive Development (STC4iD) on Livelihood Improvement of Mangyan Communities in Mindoro through Science and Technology (S&T) Interventions,” of the Mindoro State University (MinSU).
Funded by the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST-PCAARRD), the project aims to improve the Mangyans’ existing livelihood and provision of resources towards attaining sustainable food and poverty threshold levels. It also hopes to empower Mangyan communities by improving literacy and leadership capabilities as well as promote Mangyan products through communication and marketing.
The project objectives will be attained through capability building in the form of trainings in food production, processing, and marketing; development and production of IEC materials; provision of basic literacy and numeracy; leadership trainings; and provision of scholarship to selected Mangyan students.
DOST-PCAARRD and MinSU conducted an inception meeting on January 05, 2023 for the three-year project.
Held via Zoom, the meeting was led by DOST-PCAARRD Technology Transfer and Promotion Division (TTPD) Director Noel A. Catibog. He was joined by other staff members from TTPD and the Socio-Economics Research Division (SERD) of DOST-PCAARRD.
Also present is one of the project’s technical experts/consultants, Dr. Arturo S. Argañosa.
MinSU, on the other hand, was represented by the Project Leader, Dr. Lourdes V. Icalla and MinSU Vice President for Research, Extension, and Development and MIMAROPA Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development Consortium (MAARRDEC) Consortium Director, Dr. Christian Anthony C. Agutaya, together with other MinSU staff.
The Pampamayanang Mangyan Ugnayan Inc. (PMUI) Executive Director, Ms. Juvelyn V. Gumal-in was also present during the meeting. PMUI will serve as the cooperating agency that will link PCAARRD and MinSU with the Mangyan communities, who are the target beneficiaries of the initiative.
The project hopes for an increased livelihood income through enhancement of production and marketing as a result of wider market reach; strengthened public-private partnerships; improved children and adult literacy; increased social capital among community members; and established quality Mangyan brand.