ILOILO CITY (PIA) — The Department of Agriculture has banked on Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) as a tool used to identify and analyze local resources, problems, and opportunities.
This is to find the right intervention for the projects under the agency’s Special Area for Agricultural Development (SAAD) program.
This was utilized to help the M.Chavez Salt Producers’ Association (MSPA) ensure that development initiatives for salt production are suited to the local setting.
Based in San Lorenzo, Guimaras, the MSPA participated in the two-day activity that is expected to provide baseline data essential for project implementation, policy formulation, and the development activities of the program.
Officer-in-Charge of the Provincial Fisheries Office in Guimaras Roy Kenneth Q. Palla underscored the importance of participatory rural appraisal in the SAAD Program Phase 2, highlighting its role in effective program implementation.
During the workshop, MSPA members engaged in various activities, including creating and discussing a historical timeline, trend analysis, seasonal calendar, and cost and return analysis.
Participants likewise mapped out various elements in their community to create several maps, such as social, hazard, hydrology, topography, and agri-enterprise maps.
The event also had the participation of the Municipal Agriculturist Office and the Municipal Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Management Council (MFARMC) of San Lorenzo town.
In a statement, BFAR noted that this initiative marks a crucial step in ensuring that local development is informed by comprehensive and participatory assessments, aiming to address the specific needs and opportunities of the community. (AAL/AGP/PIA 6)
