PCAF welcomes back 2013 batch of YFFTPJ trainees

Trainees of the Young Filipino Farmers Training Program in Japan in 2013 pose for posterity with PCAF Executive Director Ariel Cayanan, Deputy Executive Director Florabelle Uy-Yap and some agency officers during their courtesy call.

Philippine Council for Agriculture and Fisheries (PCAF) officials led by Executive Director Ariel Cayanan and Deputy Executive Director Florabelle Uy-Yap welcomed back last year’s batch of 12 trainees of the Young Filipino Farmers Training Program in Japan (YFFTPJ).

During the courtesy calls with Deputy Exec. Dir. Yap and Exec. Dir Cayanan on March 21 and 24, respectively, the trainees shared their experiences during their 11-month training in Japan.

Batch president Alex Libano, the seventh in a brood of 11, shares with PCAF Exec. Dir. Ariel Cayanan the farming techniques he learned from his Japanese farmer-host in Uwajima City, Ehime Province

Batch president Alex Libano, the seventh in a brood of 11, shares with PCAF Exec. Dir. Ariel Cayanan the farming techniques he learned from his Japanese farmer-host in Uwajima City, Ehime Province

Batch president Alex Libano, 24, of Davao Oriental described how advanced farming technology is in Japan. He said he is grateful for the experience and skills he gained especially in operating farm equipment and machinery which he can use when he ventures into rice production.

Some of the trainees also shared the ‘One Village One Product’ program being adopted in Japanese communities which enables farmers in one village to produce one specific agricultural commodity and directly sell the value-added products in the market.

The trainees said that they learned a lot from their respective trainings in different areas such as farm management, organic farming, vegetable farming, cattle breeding and fattening, and marketing. One of them has also observed that the Japanese farmers themselves label their products right at their own farms.

They also shared how kind and trusting their Japanese host families are, who also wished them to excel in their chosen agricultural ventures back in Philippine land.

The trainees collectively conveyed their gratitude for the YFFTPJ which, for them, is a rare and huge opportunity especially for indigent young Filipino farmers like them.

They also hoped that the knowledge they acquired from their training will help improve not only the life of their families but also of their communities.

Exec. Dir. Cayanan congratulated the 2013 YFFTPJ participants on their feat and was glad to see that their sacrifices bore good fruits. He hoped that they will benefit from the skills and knowledge they acquired.

“Thank you for your hard work. You have made the PCAF, the Department of Agriculture and the whole country proud,” he told the 2013 YFFTPJ trainees.

The 2013 YFFTPJ trainees share an account of their experiences during their 11-month training in Japan with PCAF Deputy Exec. Dir. Florabelle Uy-Yap.

DED Yap was also glad that young Filipino farmers like them are being exposed to the discipline and culture of Japanese farmers. She hoped that they will become highly competitive farmers in the near future as they apply the skills and values they learned in Japan.

She also hoped that the trainees will uphold what they learned about the importance of quality of products, as opposed to quantity. DED Yap also urged them to live by the value of respecting the environment as their Japanese mentors have instilled in them.


The 2013 YFFTPJ participants will undergo post-training and evaluation. The training will include lectures on volunteerism, people-centered development, project proposal preparation, entrepreneurship and orientation about the Agricultural and Fishery Councils. This will be held amid the ongoing Pre-Departure Orientation Course of the 2014 batch of YFFTPJ trainees, who will be graduating from the course on April 4 and will leave for Japan on April 10.

see also: http://nafc.da.gov.ph/NAFCNEWs/2014/pcafwelcome.html

Japan approves PCAF-proposed 2KR project for Yolanda-hit farmers, fishers

With its enduring commitment to extend aid to Filipinos in need, the Government of Japan (GOJ) has approved the funding for the AKBay-Agrikultura: Kaagapay ng Bayang Pinoy Program-Phase II for Typhoon Yolanda-Affected Areas under the Japanese Grant Assistance for the Food Security Project for Underprivileged Farmers (2KR Program). 

A fund support of P139,979,500.00 from Japan's Official Development Assistance (ODA) was approved for this project.

The project aims to contribute to the Philippine Government's recovery and rehabilitation efforts being provided to agriculture and fishing communities affected by Typhoon Yolanda (international name Haiyan) in Region VIII.

Through the project, the Japanese Government will provide income-generating opportunities to farming and fishing households affected by Typhoon Yolanda and help them re-establish their livelihood. 

The project was proposed and will be managed by the Philippine Council for Agriculture and Fisheries (PCAF), an attached agency of the Department of Agriculture (DA), in collaboration with DA Regional Field Office VIII.

The project will be implemented for one year targeting around 8,500 farmer and fisher families. The project will cover the first five severely damaged municipalities in four badly hit provinces in Region VIII, namely, Leyte, Eastern Samar, Biliran and Western Samar. 

Project components include grant assistance for planting materials or fishing boats and paraphernalia worth P15,000 per farmer/fisher household with no repayment.

The DA and PCAF will also undertake capacity-building activities that will prepare farmer and fisher households to undertake the livelihood endeavors provided by the program. These include trainings on basic project management, skills enhancement, technology and record-keeping. 

Typhoon Yolanda’s onslaught in many areas in the Luzon and Visayas regions on November 8, 2013 caused multi-billion peso worth of damages, mostly in agriculture and infrastructure. 

“While the immediate needs of the affected families were provided, there is a need for continuing help through livelihood opportunities that would provide sustainable means to assist the victims towards recovery,” the Japanese Embassy said in a statement.

Japan’s 2KR program has been making positive impact in the livelihood of many Filipino farmers in the past 30 years. With this newly approved project, the GOJ reaffirms their country’s commitment, as the top donor of the ODA to the Philippines, to support the efforts of the Philippine Government to alleviate poverty and achieve food self-sufficiency.

The project also serves as a continuing testimony of strategic partnership between Japan and the Philippines towards the future.

Top photo shows a scanned copy of the letter of approval from the Japanese Government on the AKBay Program Phase II for Typhoon-Yolanda Affected Areas under the 2KR program. Inset photo shows PCAF officials’ meeting with officials from the Embassy of Japan (EOJ) and Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) early this year to discuss the details of the project. From left to right: Ms. Sherilyn Aoyama, JICA Manila Staff; Mr. Ervin Mella, Jr., Senior Program Officer under the Poverty Reduction Section of JICA Manila; Mr. Yoshiyuki Ueno, JICA Manila Representative; Mr. Ryutaro Aoki, EOJ First Secretary, Agriculture; PCAF Exec. Dir. Ariel Cayanan; PCAF Deputy Exec. Dir. Florabelle Uy-Yap; and, Mr. Takashi Fujimori, DA-JICA Expert.

Top photo shows a scanned copy of the letter of approval from the Japanese Government on the AKBay Program Phase II for Typhoon-Yolanda Affected Areas under the 2KR program. Inset photo shows PCAF officials’ meeting with officials from the Embassy of Japan (EOJ) and Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) early this year to discuss the details of the project. From left to right: Ms. Sherilyn Aoyama, JICA Manila Staff; Mr. Ervin Mella, Jr., Senior Program Officer under the Poverty Reduction Section of JICA Manila; Mr. Yoshiyuki Ueno, JICA Manila Representative; Mr. Ryutaro Aoki, EOJ First Secretary, Agriculture; PCAF Exec. Dir. Ariel Cayanan; PCAF Deputy Exec. Dir. Florabelle Uy-Yap; and, Mr. Takashi Fujimori, DA-JICA Expert.

source: http://nafc.da.gov.ph/NAFCNEWs/2014/japan.html

NAFC looks back on 2013 milestones, draws up strategies to improve operations

NAFC Exec. Dir. Ariel Cayanan encourages the staff to draw inspiration from one another to overcome obstacles and hang onto positive expectations as they move forward with their commitments and plans.

NAFC Exec. Dir. Ariel Cayanan encourages the staff to draw inspiration from one another to overcome obstacles and hang onto positive expectations as they move forward with their commitments and plans.

Amid the ongoing consolidation efforts for the Philippine Council for Agriculture and Fisheries (PCAF), the National Agricultural and Fishery Council (NAFC) held its 2013 Performance Review and 2014/2015 Planning Workshop last March 10 to 12 at the Maharajah Hotel, Angeles City, Pampanga.

NAFC Executive Director Ariel Cayanan dubbed the undertaking as an “opportunity to nurture a culture of openness and performance excellence” within the agency and thanked all NAFC staff for their guidance and assistance, especially during his first few months as leader of the agency.

He also stressed the importance of continuously improving the quality of work and services given to the clientele by breaking away from bad traditions and thinking outside of the box, especially with the ongoing consolidation efforts for PCAF.

“This transition period is a very critical time for us at NAFC, as well as those from the LDC (Livestock Development Council). We should truly open ourselves up to changes and take advantage of it. This is the time for us to explore new possibilities and discover new paths and innovations,” he said.

NAFC Deputy Executive Director Florabelle Uy-Yap also recognized the hard work given by the NAFC workforce that enabled the agency to achieve a total of 95% of its Major Final Output (MFO) targets in 2013.

“We should all be proud of ourselves because, despite all the hurdles, we still reached our goals. But, now, I think the real reason behind this activity is (for us to think of) how to surpass last year’s achievements and accomplishments and do better this 2014,” she said.

DED Yap encouraged the staff to seize the opportunities to effectively reach the goals and targets of the agency and look for ways to “turn lemons into lemonade.”

Noteworthy accomplishments

NAFC’s salient accomplishments last year include facilitating the participatory development of policy recommendations that resulted in the enactment of relevant agriculture-related legislations such as the Agriculture and Fisheries Mechanization Law, its Implementing Rules and Regulations, and the Food Safety Act of 2013.

Its participatory development initiatives also resulted in the conduct of policy-related activities such as the first ASEAN Conference on Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering, information dissemination and advocacy on the ASEAN Economic Community 2015, and mainstreaming of private sector involvement relative to climate change in the plans and programs of the Department of Agriculture (DA).

The policy recommendations generated from the consultations facilitated by NAFC also led to the advocacy for the adoption of second border inspection of fish and plant products and the crafting of country positions on the international fishing conventions.

NAFC is also instrumental in the development and packaging of project proposals for government priority interventions such as the Agrikultura: Kaagapay ng Bayang Pinoy or AKBay Program-Phase II and the Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation Training for the Consultative Bodies.

The agency also ensured that the plan and budget proposals of the various DA Banner Programs were subjected to consultations with civil society organizations and the private sector through the National Sectoral Committees (NSCs) last year.

Meanwhile, the advocacy initiatives of the agency and its partners from the Agricultural and Fishery Councils (AFCs) resulted in the issuance of the DA and Department of Interior and Local Government Joint Memorandum Circular urging the extension of full support to the AFCs as local partners in the implementation of local development policies, plans and programs. 

Overall, NAFC conducted a total of 1,920 local and international consultations on agri-fishery policies and programs last year, or 99 percent of the targeted 1,941 consultations.

Out of these consultations 1,219 resolutions and position papers were endorsed and 288 local policy issues were resolved. Meanwhile, nine agreements and commitments were forged through some of the consultations held.

For the monitoring and evaluation (M&E) of agri-fishery development programs, the agency disseminated 848 out of 880 targeted M&E reports to Agriculture and Fisheries Modernization Act focal persons/heads of lead agencies, heads of DA bureaus and attached agencies, DA Regional Field Offices, DA-Office of the Secretary, National Economic and Development Authority, NSCs, and AFCs.

Enhancing overall productivity

The key NAFC officers who convened the workshop also threshed out innovative strategies to address major issues that affect the overall operations of the agency.

Heads and staff of the five NAFC divisions scrutinize each of the other divisions’ proposed innovative solutions to priority issues and concerns.

Among the major agreements include the regular conduct of integration activities among the NSCs and AFCs through joint meetings and of oversight and internal operational monitoring to improve the planning-implementation cycle within the agency.

As NAFC pursues its planned activities for the first semester of 2014, before the full consolidation as PCAF, the key agency officers also laid out the schedule of activities of their respective divisions for the coming months.

The performance review and planning workshop serves as the agency’s management tool that enables the agency know how it performed, as well as strategize for the attainment of agency‘s goals especially its MFO targets.

The undertaking also enabled the agency staff collectively fill the gaps and find solutions to identified agency problems, issues and concerns; cope with various government reforms and initiatives that demand more tasks to be done; and, enhance the agency’s relevance and responsiveness as the participatory arm of the agriculture and fishery sector.

source: http://nafc.da.gov.ph/NAFCNEWs/2014/performancereview.html

PCAF gender advocates among more than 10,000 participants of formation of woman’s symbol

Chanting the phrases “Sulong Kababaihan! Sulong Juana!”, members of the Philippine Council for Agriculture and Fisheries (PCAF) Gender and Development Focal System (GAD-FS) joined more than 10,000 other gender advocates in making a stand for women’s rights and celebrating International Women’s Day through a human formation of the woman’s symbol.

The event was spearheaded by the Philippine Commission on Women (PCW), in collaboration with the Coca-Cola Philippines, at the Quirino Grandstand in Manila last March 8.

A total of 10,168 participants from government agencies, non-government organizations, state colleges and universities and other civil society groups attended the gathering to celebrate women’s resilience, strength, and women’s various roles in nation-building and their untiring participation as volunteers in times of disasters, conflicts, calamity and any other situations.

PCW Executive Director Emmeline Verzosa said during her opening remarks, that women’s resilience is not limited to being strong but also in the way how “Juanas” (Filipino women) embody optimism, patience, fortitude, and compassion for others. She added: “Today, March 8, 2014, we are making history or rather herstory! We will show the world that ‘Juanas’ are united, strong and resilient.”

PCW Chairperson Remedios Rikken said that the collective participation of all government agencies to provide equal opportunities for women is crucial in this advocacy.

“Lahat tayo ay may pakialam lalo na sa pagtigil ng karahasan sa mga kababaihan. Bawat isa ay may dapat gawin para masolusyunan ito. [Everyone has a part in ending violence against women (VAW). We should take part to eliminate VAW],” she said.

The PCW will submit the entire documentation of the “Sulong Juana! Human Woman Symbol Formation” to vie for a Guinness World Records. 

This is in partnership with Coca-Cola Philippines which has a program called the Sari-Sari Store Training and Access to Resources or STAR, which is part of the global project called 5by20 that aims to empower five million women by 2020.

“Excluding house chores, 66 percent of the work in the world is being done by women. But they only earn 10 percent of the world’s income,” Coca-Cola Philippines vice president for public affairs and communications Adel Tamano said.

He added that 90 percent of women’s income is spent on the needs of their families and communities. Thus, through the STAR program, Coca-Cola wants to transform women owners of sari-sari stores into better entrepreneurs through a combination of components that would help them overcome barriers to business success.

Sources: PCW, The Philippine Star