Calabarzon – The Department of Agriculture (DA) in Calabarzon (Region 4-A) plans to expand its Farm and Fisheries Clustering and Consolidation (F2C2) program in 2024. The initiative aims to encourage more agricultural workers to form cooperatives, thereby achieving economies of scale.
According to Philippines News Agency, DA 4-A’s F2C2 focal person, the department intends to provide logistical and training support to an additional 48 clusters across the region’s five provinces next year. The F2C2 program focuses on assisting cultivators of rice, corn, assorted high-value crops, livestock, and other agricultural goods. It includes the provision of high-quality seeds, planting materials, and fertilizer subsidies, along with various planting and harvesting machinery. Additionally, the program offers entrepreneurial training opportunities to help farmers enhance their livelihoods.
“We are currently awaiting letters of intent from interested associations and cooperatives. Subsequent steps will include validation, profiling, and needs assessment for each cluster to ascertain the number of farmers per association,” Santiago said. From 2021 to 2023, the F2C2 program benefited a total of 49,087 farmers. The aim is to group small farmers and fishermen to develop their livelihoods, learn business skills, and lower production costs.
Santiago revealed that the training provided to beneficiaries covers organizational management, financial management, business plan preparation, and product development. While initially focusing on grouping farmers with similar products and production systems, the program also aims to enable more farmers to benefit from distributed interventions in future years.
The DA has also introduced the Agro-Enterprise Clustering Approach (AECA) to aid farmers in collective marketing. This strategy encourages farmers to synchronize planting and organize themselves, increasing their potential for partnerships with institutional buyers such as Jollibee Foods and Ramen Nagi, while primarily supplying local communities.
Santiago expressed gratitude to farmers for their support of the program and underscored their vital role in achieving food security. “We hope to improve the lives of Filipino farmers through the clustering and consolidation program of the DA,” she added.
