Enhancing the Competitiveness of Small Farmers

Enhancing the Competitiveness of Small Farmers by was given by Mr. Jing Pacturan, Executive Director Philippines Development Assistance Program. He started the session with a competitive game which simulated the dynamics of market in the real world. Based on the experience of the game, he drew the participants’ insights about entrepreneurship, management, and leadership. He proceeded to discuss the various stages of development of rural communities (from survival, to productivity, to growth).

He dwelt on the need to go beyond increase in productivity by moving toward enterprise development. Ms. Pacturan also discussed the various challenges to LSFM which includes the trend of agriculture becoming a major part of globalized trading, the rise of supermarkets, the preference for healthy foods and organic products and climate change. He reviewed the factors affecting small farmer participation in the supply chain, and the need to see the importance of really having impact on the value chain.

He discussed the information flow, principal focus, strategy, orientation, organizational structure and the philosophy of moving towards this direction. He emphasized that any relationship should be able to ensure equitable distribution. He discussed market participation approaches and some of the more successful examples of community initiatives in mainstream markets (namely, Don Bosco Foundation in South Cotabato on biodynamic technology, Muscovado farmers in Sultan Kudarat, and Pecuaria in Bicol Province).


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