October 15, 2009 8:40 pm
DAVAO CITY, Oct. 16 — Negative perceptions of the word “coop” among banana farmers and growers in Sto. Tomas will be one important issue that will be included in the coming leadership training program to be set up by the banana industry cluster group for farmers in Davao del Norte.
Rene Dalayon, president of the Federation of ARB-based Banana Cooperatives (FEDCO) and chairman of the industry cluster team, said this little problem can be solved by a training program aimed to neutralize the negative perception and focus on the factors that make many cooperatives successful.
“We are looking into this problem, everyone of us is aware of it and our team will make sure we can overcome this specially in Sto Tomas,” Dalayon said during the recent assessment meeting held at the Department of Trade and Industry conference Room.
DTI Provincial Director Nenita Nazareno cited the success of cocoa cooperatives in San Isidro, Davao Oriental who were able to set up their own corporation and succeeded in exporting their cocoa products directly to foreign buyers, by-passing a multi-layer of traders, brokers and agents in the marketing process.
“This success of San Isidro cocoa farmers can also be replicated by your Sto Tomas banana farmers if we can neutralize this negative perception of coops in that area,” Nazareno said.
Dalayon agreed with Nazareno, citing the success of his FEDCO, an umbrella organization of around 30 banana cooperatives in Davao del Norte, Davao City and Davao del Sur who are now producing and supplying world-class Cavendish bananas to multinational fruit export firms like Dole, Del Monte, Unifruitti, and Sumitomo Fruit.
“There’s a need for us to reform these farmers, specially their attitudes and perceptions of their roles as leaders and managers – because the success of their cooperative this will benefit them all,” Dalayon stressed.
Dalayon, who just arrived from a brief two-day trip to Japan recently, said a big Japanese buyer who is willing to help these farmers with good buying price along with a string of social benefits for farmer’s families, are looking keenly at farmers’ cooperatives in doing business with them in the Philippines.
The coming farmers’ leadership training program is part of a series of projects by the banana industry cluster team under the Davao Industry Cluster Capacity Enhancement Project, a joint project of the DTI and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). (PNA) LBV/Aurelio A. Pena/lvp
http://balita.ph/2009/10/15/banana-industry-training-to-focus-on-managing-coops-in-davao-norte/
