In support of the Farm and Fisheries Clustering and Consolidation (F2C2) program of the Department of Agriculture, the Agricultural Training Center in the Cordillera, under the High Crops Development Program conducted the Phased Training Program for Atok GAP Practitioners Association (AGPA) Towards Agro-Enterprise Clustering Approach Phases 2: Steps 4-5 held on March 25-28, 2025 at Sayangan, Atok, Benguet.
The activity followed the Agro Enterprise Clustering Approach (AECA) developed by the Jollibee Group Foundation (JGF). The AECA is a strategy that builds partnerships among local institutions to enable and empower farmers to directly supply their produce to corporate markets, like the JGC food corporation. The AECA has three Phases with eight basic steps to come up with the formation of the site working group and basic clusters, creation of the production module and cluster supply plan, agro-enterprise objective, and product supply forecast. These basic steps are: 1) Formation of Working Group and Basic Ousters; 2) Creation of Production Module and Cluster Supply Plan; 3) Development of Agro-Enterprise Objective; 4) Committed Agro-Enterprise Ousters; 5) Finalization of Agro-Enterprise Plan; 6 Creation of Product Supply Forecast; 7) Validation of Agro-Enterprise Plan Through Test Marketing; and 8) Evaluation and Improvement of Agro-Enterprise Plan.
Dr. Cristine Esnara, the Project Officer, said that the Atok Good Agricultural Practitioners (AGAP) Cluster is composed of nine farmer associations from the five barangays in the municipality, practicing and compliant with the Philippine National Standards of Good Agricultural Practices, aiming for the sustainable highland vegetable production and marketing. The Department of Agriculture clustered these associations under the F2C2 program. The associations are DOLE and CDA registered, with 1,055 farmer members.
During the Closing Program, Ms. Estella Atulba, ATOPAI Member, expressed that she learned much about the training. She said that the processes of the AECA Clustering are very important, especially during the marketing stages. She acknowledged that the topics discussed were very helpful and applicable to her.
On May 14-17, 2024, the AGPA underwent a training workshop of AECA Phase 1, conducted by the Center and in partnership with DA RFO CAR, PLGU Benguet and MLGU Atok. During the Phase 1 training, the association was able to develop its 5-year Cluster Development Plan (CDP).
