Project experience, lessons learned and challenges from the pilot implementation of the Community Development in Conflict Affected Areas in Mindanao (CD-CAAM) project implemented by Bangsamoro Development Agency (BDA) were the major focus in the social preparation workshop conducted recently for the extension phase of the project.

Workshop in Regional Management Office (RMO) Central Mindanao was conducted on June 9, 2015 and on June 11 at Ranaw region.

The activity aims to refresh the project team on the whole CD-CAAM process and on the social preparation experience during the previous implementation.

The activity started with an orientation on the set up of the extension phase of the project.

Program staff participated in workshops on the review of the community profiling and technical survey that will be used during the field works of the extension phase.

Among the outputs of the activity is the work plan of the team for the external social preparation phase of the project.

This phase of the project implementation serves as the entry activity where community are introduced and oriented of the program.

CD-CAAM extension phase was recently approved after it ended on March 2015. It started last May 15, 2015 and will end on July 2016.

The project is now focusing on livelihood sector from three sectors in the pilot implementation such as agriculture, fishery and infrastructure.

Accordingly, livelihood support is the focus of this extension phase after the successful completion of the project on three components such as agriculture, fishery and infra.

It also targets expansion of area of coverage in Tawi-Tawi province.

Tawi-Tawi province is selected as added site for this extension based on the series of analysis and study by all parties and stakeholders of the program.

Accordingly, BDA have recommended the province to provide equal opportunity for development assistance, since only few of our main programs have reached Tawi-Tawi. The province has the potential and many communities there are longing for development support.

CD-CAAM is implemented by BDA in partnership with ICNet Limited with the support of Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).