MAFAR JOINS MAP-ABCD’s WEBINAR ON RUBBER PRODUCTION TRENDS

Three of the regional focal persons of the MAFAR and the provincial head of MAFAR-Sulu participated in an online seminar on rubber production and opportunities, today (September 8).

The webinar was offered and conducted by the Management Association of the Philippines Agribusiness and Countryside Development (MAP-ABCD) through Minister Mohammad S. Yacob.

The MAP-ABCD has been in the forefront of policy advocacy and promotion of agribusiness and countryside development since 1996. The association’s Board of Trustees and members are composed of active and retired men and women who are now successful entrepreneurs, owners of medium and large-scale businesses, professional managers, former government technocrats, and distinguished academicians.

Meynard P. Abello, Researcher at the Philippine Rubber Research Institiute (PRRI) served as the resource speaker of the seminar via Zoom.

Abello presented the major and common issues and challenges in rubber industry that included absence of appropriate warehouse facilities, limited access of smallholders to financing, farmers are tied up with the traders on financing, struggle to create the Philippine Rubber Development Board, inappropriate statistics given to international organizations, unfavorable price of natural rubber (NR), subscription to traditional plantation technology, and limited working capital to invest in a village processing facility.

This week’s seminar for the BARMM participants was facilitated by Salembai A. Abdullah, Information and Training Officer in coordination with Bernadette Yap of MAP-ABCD.

The participants from the MAFAR were Akmad A. Abdullah, Corn and Cassava Focal Person; Ramil M. Timpolok, HVCDP Focal Person; Rowaida Zacaria-Kado, Agriculturist II; and Mercyan A. Aspi, MAFAR-Sulu Provincial Head.