PRDP Mindanao Planners Preps Regional VCAs for Rice

𝐏𝐑𝐃𝐏 𝐌𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐨 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐬 𝐑𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐕𝐂𝐀𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐑𝐢𝐜𝐞

With the inclusion of rice in the list of priority commodities for the PRDP Scale-Up, Mindanao’s regional planners set about to craft the value chain analysis (VCA) which is crucial for subproject approval.

The first day of the “VCA Preparation Activity: Mindanao-wide VCA Tools Cascading and Inception Writeshop for Regional Rice VCAs” set the direction for the weeklong activity, starting with an overview of the i-VCA process and outline, the writing process for the first two chapters of the VCA inception report, presentations on the Planner’s portal, and the Climate Risk and Vulnerability Assessment (CRVA).

In his message, DA-PRDP Regional Project Coordination 12 Deputy Project Director, Engr. Abraham A. Onotan, emphasized the importance of developing a VCA for rice which is one of the DA’s priority programs.

“Let’s use the VCA to identify and address the gaps within the value chain. We have to work together because we have to help our rice farmers, considering all the challenges they are facing nowadays despite the huge funds DA has allocated for rice,” said Onotan. “Scientific tools such as the VCA and i-VCA would be a great help in seeing what else we can do for our rice commodity.”

The Commodity-specific Climate Resilient Agro-Industrialization Oriented Value Chain Analysis (i-VCA) aims to identify the players and activities involved in bringing a product from production to consumption, and to understand constraints to improving VC performance. In the PRDP Commodity System Investment Planning (CsIP), VCA results serve as the basis for prioritizing DA-LGU and private sector investments by commodity and its derivative “product forms.”

PSO Mindanao I-PLAN Component Head Elden Karl Requilme presented the rationale and objectives of the activity. He also reiterated the importance of maximizing the use of existing PRDP tools.

“The positive side of the VCA and coming up with the Priority Commodity Investment Plan (PCIP) is that we become more strategic in identifying subprojects and in using our resources, considering the limited funds,” said Requilme. “We share the tools, and the tools shape us. I hope we really maximize all the tools we have in PRDP. Additionally, we will also have to mainstream these tools into DA’s regular operations.”

Participants from the six regions of Mindanao presented their respective regional VCA inception report Chapters 1 and 2 drafts which were discussed and clarified in the ensuing open forum. (𝐉𝐨𝐲 𝐌𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐯𝐨, 𝐏𝐒𝐎 𝐌𝐢𝐧)

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