The Government of Japan approved the funding for the “ Enhancing Farmers' Capacity to Access, Analyze and Utilize Statistical Information ” Project under the Japan Food Security Project for Underprivileged Farmers, (formerly known as the 2KR Program). A fund support of Sixty Million Six Hundred Eighty Seven Thousand Three Hundred Five Pesos (P60,687,305.00) from Japan 's Official Development Assistance was approved for this project.
The project aims to improve farmers' productivity, efficiency and income through the institutionalization of improved and sustainable capacities on operational and financial farm management and planning. These will be achieved by setting up farmer-based agri-business information service including the training of farmers and personnel of farmers' organizations in the various components of an operational data system. The proponent of the project is the Bureau of Agricultural Statistics of the Department of Agriculture (DA).
The project will be implemented for three years and intends to undertake various activities such as: designing a farmer-based information service; provision of training for farmers; installation of necessary IT infrastructure; forging partnerships between government and non-government organizations; and establishment of economic classification system for Filipino farmers. The project coverage includes the provinces of Benguet, Ifugao, Mt. Province , Nueva Vizcaya, Palawan, Iloilo , Capiz, Cebu, Negros Oriental, Leyte, Misamis Oriental and Bukidnon. Additional three areas located in the Central Visayas and CARAGA regions will be added for the project's coverage expansion. It is expected that the production and marketing analysis service component of the project will enhance service delivery to the farmers in the municipal and barangay levels of these target areas.
For many years, small farmers particularly those in remote rural areas have conducted their farming business on a hit and miss basis due to lack of adequate information related to production and marketing of their products. Furthermore, lack of access to information, situational analysis, production planning and marketing decisions hindered them from achieving higher farm income. This project hopes to address these issues and assist in empowering small farmers in the grassroots level.
For the past thirty years, the 2KR Program has made a positive impact on the livelihood of Filipino farmers. This project reaffirms Japan 's commitment, as the top donor of the Official Development Assistance to the Philippines, to support the efforts of the Government of the Philippines 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.
Japanese Version
