The Philippine Rural Development Project (PRDP), through its I-Plan component, in partnership with the MAFAR Rice Program, conducted an orientation on Rice Value Chain Analysis (VCA) Tools on October 3, 2024, in Cotabato City.
The activity aims to equip enumerators and stakeholders from Maguindanao del Sur and Norte for using VCA tools to analyze rice value chains in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).
Leading the orientation were Director Tong A. Abas, Director II of MAFAR Research Development and Extension Services, OIC Chief Agriculturist Baharen Piang, and Dr. Saudi Mangindra, Chief Agriculturist of MAFAR Maguindanao, which attended by the representatives from the RD&E Division and RSBSA enumerators.
Director Abas emphasized the importance of VCA in understanding the different stages of the rice supply chain, from the inputs/production to processing and distribution to consumers.
OIC Chief Agriculturist Baharen Piang presented the sampling criteria for the survey, stating that each province would interview 15 farmers from the top three rice-producing municipalities and barangays.
Through Farmer’s Interview Questionnaire, the survey will help identify key challenges and opportunities within the rice value chain, assess the performance of various actors, and develop recommendations to improve the chain’s efficiency, inclusivity, and sustainability.
This information will guide future planning and actions to improve the rice industry in the region, benefiting both farmers and the local economy.
