WBA partners with VSU to develop root crop value chain in Basilan

Prof Marlon Tambis, PhilRootcrops Deputy Director, explains the benefits
of root crops at the start of the WBA Training on Rootcrop Production.

August 3, 2022 (Isabela City) – Selected farmers from the Western Basilan Alliance (WBA) assembled in Isabela City for capacity training on root crop production. The training was conducted by a team from the Philippine Center for Root Crop Research and Training Center (PhilRootcrops) stationed at the Visayas State University (VSU) in Baybay City, Leyte.

Mayor Hanie Bud, the interim WBA chairperson, said PhilRootcrops has been tapped as an institutional consultant. Aside from the training on root crop production, other components of the Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) signed by the parties include pilot production of two (2) varieties of cassava and another two (2) varieties of sweet potatoes suited for food consumption, setting up a root crop processing center in Western Basilan to be hosted by one of the WBA-member LGUs, two (2) batches of the training of trainers on root crop product processing and marketing workshop.

Mayor Bud added that this is one of the many development initiatives they have in line to spur and sustain the growth of the alliance. Earlier initiatives include the WBA DXPW 99.1FM radio station and the WBA CRM Center.

 
Provincial Administrator Manny Muarip reiterated Basilan Governor Jim Hataman’s interest in focusing on strengthening farmers’ food security and livelihood, which was greatly affected by the cocolisap infestation that devastated the local coconut industry, and the aspiration of opening alternative livelihood and enterprise complementary to the two dominant local industries – rubber and coconut. Aside from this, the Provincial Government and the WBA are also working on coastal resources management through capacitating local personnel on participatory coastal resources assessment and working with the Zamboanga State College of Marine Sciences and Technology (ZSCMST) to develop the CRM priorities for the next three years.

 
PhilRootcrops Senior Agriculturist Dioscoro Bolatete expressed optimism that the trainees will be able to apply their learning and commence land preparation in the pilot farms.

 
PhilRootcrops will continue to provide expert advice as the farmers progress with their initial production journey using the PhilRootcrops technology learned in the training.

The new technologies spanning production to processing to marketing provided by PhillRootcrops come at a time of improved security conditions in the province.

 
PhilRootcrops Deputy Director Marlon Tambis said the prevailing peacefulness presents an opportunity for Basileños to improve their economic situation and for PhilRootcrops to be engaged in the province as part of the realization of its mandate as a national agency tasked with research, development and extension.

 
WBA Technical Working Group (TWG) lead facilitator January Zanoria noted how member LGUs are keen to develop the root crop value chain, beginning with the identification of pilot sites and the core group of farmers who will manage the production and mobilization of local staff and partners who will be trainers and advocates of root crop products by popularizing their many uses and income-generating prospects.

 
The LGUs have already directed their respective local agriculture staff who will be actively involved across the value chain.

 
The first inter-LGU cooperation in Basilan, WBA is supported by the Spanish aid agency AECID through the IAG-implemented Modeling Inter-LGU Alliance in Basilan (MILAB) project in partnership with the provincial and selected municipal governments.

WBA taps VSU PhilRootcrops for Rootcrops-based Livelihood Program in Basilan

VSU PhilRootcrops and WBA personnel visiting Lantawan mayor Nursiya Ismael
and briefing her on PhilRootcrops and opportunities in root crop-based livelihood programs.

VSU PhilRootcrops' New Mission in Basilan: Establishment of Root crops-based Livelihood Program

The Modelling Inter-LGU Alliance in Basilan (MILAB) project of the Institute for Autonomy and Governance (IAG) deliberated the establishment of a livelihood program as a subject or focus for their alliance building in the western part of the province of Basilan, especially since one of the major crops in the area, the coconut, has been affected by the infestation of the Cocolisap.

 
The IAG-MILAB, which focuses on alliance building and on how it benefits the allied parties, has already formed the Western Basilan Alliance (WBA) which would be the recipient of the planned livelihood program. WBA is currently composed of 4 municipalities which are the Maluso, Lantawan, Sumisip and Tabuan Lasa. Among the other subjects for alliance-building are resource protection, peace promotion, improved communication, etc.

 
The establishment of a root crop-based livelihood program has been considered by MILAB as root crops, especially cassava, are already a staple food in Basilan. In fact, there is already an existing value chain for basic food like the puto (pyuto) made from cassava. However, concerned stakeholders reported gaps like the low shelf life of its raw material, the panggi, or the semi-dried grates that only last for a week.

 
With this, MILAB reached out to PhilRootcrops and asked for technical assistance. As a response, a team from VSU PhilRootcrops went to Basilan to help assess and plan how to improve the food value chains of cassava and other rootcrops in the area.

 
“Gusto na po namin mag-graduate sa panggi.” (We want to graduate from panggi.) This has been stated by one of the members of WBA.

 
The need to expand the value chains has sparked from the necessity of the locals to innovate from panggi and other food products from root crops, as well as due to the Cocolisap infestation in the area that affected their coconut industry, and the need to enhance the peace and order situation in the area. The center plans to enhance the value chains by extending the shelf life of the primary/intermediate products such as grates and making them storable and more tradable like dried grates and flour. The center will provide its technologies and machines developed for the utilization of cassava and other root crops into high-value processed products.

 
The initiative will be a partnership effort of the VSU PhilRootcrops, the Institute for Autonomy and Governance (IAG), the Provincial Government of Basilan, and the formed alliance among the municipalities in the Western part of the province or the WBA. The parties agreed during the meeting to have piloting of root crops production area, training on production and processing of root crops, and capacitate the players in the value chain. Among the other things discussed was the possible establishment of PhilRootcrops extension in the Bangsamoro region or to be one of the ministries under the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).

Reference: PhilRootcrops FB Page - https://web.facebook.com/philrootcrops

Steering Committee approves project prototypes

Isabela City, Basilan (October 1, 2021) – Steering Committee (SC) members met today for its 3rd quarterly (regular) meeting to discuss and approve project proposals. Present were mayors Hanie Bud and Nerwelyn Mansul. Governor Jim Hataman and Mayor Nursiya Ismael were represented by Provincial Administrator Manny Muarip and former councilor Ustadz Patta Lazaro. Also present were Ms January Zanoria, Lead Facilitator for the Technical Working Group (TWG); Mr Zia Ulhaq Basa, Manager of the Alliance Office, and Mr Noor Saada, Manager of the MILAB Project.

Prior to this quarterly meeting, the TWG prepared these proposals building on the Value Chain Analysis (VCA). A series of online conversation was undertaken to discuss and refine the proposals. Given the scarcity of available data and in order to test the viability of the concept, it was agreed to iterate the proposal and to begin with prototypes. Prototyping serves to provide specifications for a real, working model rather than a theoretical one. Prototyping was adopted because of its familiarity with local chief executives under their current bridging leadership journey on local health development. 

The following prototypes were approved by the SC:

• Prototype 1: Fresh and dried seafood marketing project to be led by Hadji Muhtamad and Maluso LGUs. Towards this end, MILAP Project will engage a marketing consultant to facilitate liaising with prospective bulk buyers in Zamboanga City.
  
  
• Prototype 2: Nito weaving project to be led by Lantawan  LGU. This weaving project can expand to include nipa and pandan. MILAB will source a nito trainer for product enhancement. The marketing consultant for prototype 1 will incorporate exploring the bulk market for nito products in Zamboanga City.
  
  
• Prototype 3: Cassava contract growing to be led by Sumisip LGU. An invitation letter will be sent to a prospective corporate partner inviting a team for proper orientation and initial area assessment.
  
  
• Prototype 4: Community-level cassava processing to be led by Lantawan LGU. An invitation letter will be sent to an institutional partner for initial visit and orientation.

The SC has also approved the suggested components and process for the development of a provincial CRM "blueprint". This blueprint has been requested by the Provincial Government to signal its emerging and expanding focus on coastal resources management, particularly in the area of sustainable livelihood and conservation. 

WBA starts online workshop on value chain today

Zamboanga City (August 26, 2020) - The Western Basilan Alliance (WBA) in partnership with AECID-funded and IAG-implemented Modelling Inter-LGU Alliance in Basilan (MILAB) Phase 2 Project holds an online workshop today on Value Chain Analysis (VCA).

Noor Saada, MILAB Project manager explains the importance of this VCA process, WBA is undertaking to identify primary and support actors and activities that add value to its products and then analyze these actors and activities to reduce or increase cost.

This online workshop is the first of a three-part activity. After the online workshop, participants are expected to undertake practicum on their chosen product in their locality, will receive coaching from a consultant, draft their VCA and share their VCA across the WBA.

Leading this three-part activity is Kareen "Kakay' Oloroso-Miels, alliance building consultant, who have deep and wide experience working with local government units across the Philippines and in shepherding local projects as platform for working together and support sustainable livelihood in target communities.

In his message, Mayor Hanie Bud of Maluso recognizes the momentum gained and despite of the pandemic, the project is now adopting new strategies in line with the "new normal". He reckons the need for the participants to keep their immediate superior abreast of what's going on in this online 3-part activity and how the MILAB Phase 2 will support the alliance.

Western Basilan Alliance is the first interlocal cooperation in Basilan and is being capacitated by the AECID-funded MILAB 2 Project, implemented by the Institute for Autonomy and Governance (IAG) in partnership with the provincial and selected municipal governments in the province.