Creating market opportunities for farmer beneficiaries of BDA-CDCAAM project
To let the beneficiaries understand that agriculture is a business, Community-Development in Conflict-Affected Areas in Mindanao (CD-CAAM) program implemented by Bangsamoro Development Agency (BDA) conducted the so called “matchmaking” on vegetable production at Brgy. Macabiso and Brgy. Buliok both in Sultan Mastura Municipality on January 14, 2016.
Accordingly, the matchmaking will link the beneficiaries with markets’ actors and will ultimately contribute in creating market opportunities for vegetable farmers in Sultan Mastura so that vegetable production will be activated as food basket in the future.
Engr. Aida Silongan, CD-CAAM program management officer said that they invited businessmen and traders from Cotabato City and Parang, Maguindanao who sell vegetables and they brought them at the demo farm of their beneficiaries.
“We let these businessmen/traders meet our beneficiaries and then they check our products. Eventually, they discussed on how they can have link in market side,” Engr. Silongan said.
“Actually, the result of the activity was good. Our beneficiaries and businessmen had understanding as to quality of the products while the price is yet to be discussed. But one thing sure for the price is that there will no middle man, meaning from our beneficiaries, direct to the supermarket”, she added.
Staff from BDA Central Management Office (CMO) and regional management offices (RMO) in Central Mindanao and Ranaw, expert team from Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), representatives of said barangays and Sultan Mastura (municipal local government unit) MLGU, traders/buyers of said areas; 1st and 2nd beneficiaries in agricultural sector attended the activity.
It was also reported that Lawrence Estores, Supermarket Manager of Mall of Alnor also joined the said matchmaking.
“Alhamdulillah (thank God), the activity yielded good result. Hopefully, we will have easy marketing for our products and that it is assured that they are in good quality”, Engr. Silongan ended.
CD-CAAM project is currently on its extension phase. It is supported by the JICA and implemented in partnership with the ICNet Limited.
(Zandra Malikol, BDA CommGroup)