DA’s Philippine Rural Development Project (PRDP) in Caraga together with partner agencies recently converged through a ceremonial signing of the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) for the harmonization of support for the abaca industry in the Province of Agusan del Norte.

The activity aims to mainstream the support from partner agencies in helping Agusan del Norte in the implementation of its Provincial Commodity Investment Plan (PCIP) and support the industry and other major commodity value chains in the province.

Local executives seized the challenge of taking the lead in institutionalizing government agencies’ support in implementing the PCIP. “We cannot do everything alone. We need the assistance of government agencies in achieving what we have determined in the PCIP,” said Governor Maria Angelica Amante-Matba.

Amante-Matba emphasizes that the province needs a strong partnership with the concerned agencies and other stakeholders in addressing gaps and constraints for the development of not just abaca, but also other priority commodities. “Now that we have signified our commitment to the province, I am assured that all we have envisioned can be accomplished accordingly,” Amante-Matba said.

PRDP’s introduction of innovative tools such as the applied geotagging technology, the value chain analysis (VCA) and the vulnerability and suitability assessment (E-VSA) in crafting the PCIP would help other agencies in identifying specific interventions for the development of a particular commodity.

The undertaking expects the pooling of resources in the form of technical support, programs and projects to help the province and what support could be possibly mainstreamed into the regular budget and programs of partner agencies.

“In PRDP, we do not want to leave our farmers and industry players hanging anywhere in any of the segments of the value chain. We want to elevate them to higher grounds, thereby boosting their chances to improve their lot,” said Mindanao Project Support Office I-PLAN Component Head Cerenio Tila.

The signing was participated by the regional head of agencies from the Department of Agriculture, Philippine Fiber Development Authority, Department of Trade and Industry, Department of Agrarian Reform, Department of Science and Technology, Caraga State University and the Province of Agusan del Norte.(Fretcher D. Magatao, RPCO-Caraga)