Stories of development through the CD-CAAM Program
Categories: CD-CAAM, News from BDA, Ranaw
Getting acceptance from the community on the project is among the challenges that a development worker has to surface. In Ranaw (Lanao) areas for instance, same challenge is also happening.
According to Diamel B. Lao, Community Organizer Supervisor for the Community Development in Conflict Affected Areas in Mindanao (CD-CAAM) Program of Bangsamoro Development Agency (BDA) in Ranaw Region, the implementation of the Program of the in Lanao del Norte at the start is very hard as workers have to deal with the varying context in each community in getting their trust and support.
But through proper coordination and with the community-led type approach of bringing the program to the communities targeted, the challenges get easier and eventually led towards its smooth operation.
“As the project goes on, the community’s negative perception has changed and gradually accepting the importance of capacity building and core values as starting point towards uplifting people’s lives in the community”, Mr.Lao said.
Promoting unity in the community and among diverse groups
A member-beneficiary of the program Mr. Vicente Canillo, quoted that through intensive and collective efforts, it develops their ability to resolve issues and problems thru mutual communication and consultations among the group until finally arriving at one common understanding.
Accordingly, aside from acquiring knowledge on farming technology, they also developed good relationship between and among Muslim and non-Muslim participants owing to the CD-CAAM pilot project brought to the community.
Mr. Rogelio Canillo, another beneficiary also shared the sense of unity and team building he observed during and every activity in the farm. He said that though they were split into sub-groups, yet they managed to reach common output through regular sharing and consultations among members of the whole group.
Better farming through better farming techniques
Mr. Canillo also shared his farming experiences in cultivating a 2-hectare land way back 2 years ago where he considered a failure because after computing all the expenses, it turned out that the production cost is higher than the income, which, to some extent cannot even return the cost of inorganic fertilizers.
Now, with the trainings acquired in the CD-CAAM project, they were able to learn the use of available wastes in the surroundings which they didn’t know the wastages can be converted to organic fertilizers by diverting to concoction and composting which are proven effective and economical than using expensive inorganic fertilizers.
Improved fishing through Tilapia Culture
On 4-day September 30 to October 4, 2013, an Introductory Training on Tilapia Farming was conducted in Maguindanao for the fisheries sector of CD-CAAM program both from Central Mindanao and Ranaw Region.
The said training has helped member-beneficiaries of the program in improving their fishing techniques for better production.
Mr. Abdullah Dese, member of the fishery sector who owned the existing fishpond at Barangay Cadayonan reveals also his experiences in managing his pond. One time, he stocked Tilapia fingerlings years ago but he is wondering why the fishes seem unhealthy and the sizes of Tilapia remained dwarf despite grown for almost two years.
Mr. Dese was happy for learning many things from the training conducted at Maguindanao and in Naawan on growing Tilapia cultured in pond.
“Through the training I now realized the reason why the tilapia I grew in my pond was unhealthy, Mr. Dese shared.
CD-CAAM is implemented by the BDA in partnership with the Japan International Cooperative Agency (JICA) and ICNet Limited. The program is divided into three sectors such as agriculture, fisheries and infrastructure. It is being piloted in the municipalities of Matungao in Lanao del Norte and in Sultan Mastura in Maguindanao.
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