Project 08fh-5243 - agro-info

08fh-5243 Techno-demo farms and biofarming network

budget	€ 86.557,19	status	execution
start date	01-07-2009	date end	31-12-2009
location		country	philippines
financer	Agriterra
executor	Federation of Free Farmers	intervention level	sub-national
Programmes	\| work area 09: Inputs for agriculture \| IFAP 08: Ensure secure access to resources \|
description	The Federation of Free Farmers (FFF) was established in 1953 as a labor union. Its goal is to develop and promote economic projects of its members. A problem of these members is that input costs for agricultural produce have increased. This is particularly true for fertilizers and pesticides, which also (...more...)
description	The Federation of Free Farmers (FFF) was established in 1953 as a labor union. Its goal is to develop and promote economic projects of its members. A problem of these members is that input costs for agricultural produce have increased. This is particularly true for fertilizers and pesticides, which also has led to rising acidity and infertility of farms and has contributed to overall environmental degradation in many rural communities. This project was to make farmers aware of environmentally friendly and more affordable technologies for fertilization and pest control and provide access to these technologies. (...less...)
results & observations	This memo covers project activities from July to December 2009 under the Organic Farming Network Project of the Federation of Free Farmers (FFF) of the Philip¬pines under the Farmers Fighting Poverty (FFP) Program. Originally, the project was scheduled for implementation over a 2-year period; however, financial constraints led to (...more...)
final results & observations	This memo covers project activities from July to December 2009 under the Organic Farming Network Project of the Federation of Free Farmers (FFF) of the Philip¬pines under the Farmers Fighting Poverty (FFP) Program. Originally, the project was scheduled for implementation over a 2-year period; however, financial constraints led to the contraction of the project to only six months. A separate proposal which was submitted by Agriterra for EU funding was subsequently approved and project activities will continue as originally planned, albeit using a different funding source. In these six months, fourteen technicians were trained on “farmscaping” and were deployed to conduct initial cluster formation meetings in 19 potential project sites. Island-wide training sessions were also conducted on biofarming and cluster planning. These activities eventually resulted in the formation of an initial batch of five (5) clusters. These clusters have since firmed up their developmental plans even as they have been supported with equipment and supplies for their knowledge centers. Custer development activities were complemented by supplemental training for biofarming technicians, the release of the first issue of the FFF Biofarming newsletter, the dissemination of technology guides and reference materials, and the purchase of equipment for the development and reproduction of audio-visual documentaries and other training materials. Cross-exchanges and study visits for selected cluster participants and technicians in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao were also conducted together with the deployment of biofarming technicians and FFF leaders for project activities. Initial feedback points to the need to upgrade marketing support activities so as to provide the financial incentives for farmers and their clusters to pursue their activities. Additionally, the clusters should take steps to ensure the sustainability of their activities even after the project term. (...less...)
specialisms	\| Inputs for agriculture \| Research for development in agriculture (ARD) \| Training \|

	APPLICATION
	APPLICATION

	DEFINITION
	DEFINITION

	EXECUTION
	EXECUTION

	RESULTS
	RESULTS

	PROGRESS
	PROGRESS

	RELATIONS
	RELATIONS

PROPOSAL

Agri-agency	Own contribution executor	Other parties	Total requested budget
Agriterra	FFF
€ 220.000,00 + € 55.000,00	€ 30.000,00	€ 0,00	€ 305.000,00

(1) Farm inputs, particularly fertilizers and pesticides, account for nearly half of the total cost of most agricultural produce. The recent increase of input prices has had serious effects on the incomes and welfare of small farm families. At the same time, the prolonged use of inorganic and chemical-based inputs has led to rising acidity and infertility of farms and has contributed to overall environmental degradation in many rural communities. Although environmentally friendly and more affordable technologies for fertilization and pest control have been around for many years, most farmers either are not aware, or have not fully appreciated the value, of these technologies. This project aims to adress these problems.

(2) the project aims to:
(a) promote and intensify the use of biofertilizers and botanical pesticides among FFF farmer members and farming communities for appropriate environmental care and improved farm incomes through the reduction of cost of farm inputs;
(b) mobilize farmer groups and farm communities to provide field test results and to produce biofertilizer and botanical pesticides for sustained use in their own farms;
(c) establish community-based biofertilizer and botanical pesticide demonstration and knowledge sharing centers in collaboration with research agencies and local governments.

Main activities are:
(a) training on soil testing and farm trials to identify the most suitable bio-organic fertilizer and botanical pesticide technologies for particular areas and crops;
(b) training and capacity-building for the local production and sustained application of the bio-organic fertilizers and botanical pesticides in the local communities;
(c) organizing community-based bio-organic fertilizer and botanical pesticide techo-demo farms and local supply centers with the appropriate field testing and technology dissemination facilities;
(d) training and deploying a corps of farmer technicians to disseminate information and technologies on biofarming and provide follow-up guidance to farmers;
(e) development and dissemination of simplified training materials and technology guides on biofarming for participating farmers;
(f) maintaining a network among the techno-domo centers and farmer technicians for knowledge and best-practice sharing.

(3) Estimated total budget will be about 250,000 Euros, with a local counterpart of about 30,000 Euros. Agricord's share would be around 220,000 Euros or 88%. (plus 25% is total 275.000 Euros for two years).

(4) At the end of the two-year duration of the proposed project, FFF chapters in at least 20 provinces will be recognized in their communities as techno-demo centers sustained by a vigorous partnership between the farmers, research agencies and the local governments. FFF members and other farmers in the communities, and young farmers and women farmers in particular, will be adopting bio-organic farming techniques and realizing significant reductions in the cost of their farm inputs and improved farm incomes. A robust network of FFF techno-demo farms and farmer technicians undertaking cross farm visits and sharing knowledge and best practices in bio-organic farming and improved farm enterprises will be in place.

(5) Addressing sustainability, which is a common problem of similar initiatives, the project will combine the benefits of techno¬logy inputs with easy access and quick feedback through the organized farmer participants. Knowledge and best practice sharing within each community and throughout the network will broaden and reinforce the support and incentive system to sustain biofarming communities. In short, the project design includes the venue for participants to showcase their successes and to consult about problems encountered.

GOALS

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