Evaluation of the project “Promoting farmers’ rights through strengthening community plant genetic resources conservation, development and use (CPGR CDU) in south and central Mindanao”

Background

SEARICE Mindanao programme covers the provinces of North Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat and Bukidnon of the island. The programme is a continuation of the work initiated by CONSERVE with its independent identity. Originally in 1991 conserve was a project of SEARICE with focus on collection of PGR, distribution of seeds to farmer partners training on rice breeding. With ten years of work in North Cotabato, CONSERVE went through a phase of identity crisis as an independent project and was once again merged as a project of SEARICE as a part of its program in the island.

Purpose/objective

The purpose of the evaluation was to basically review the progress of the work undertaken in promoting farmer's rights through strengthening community plant genetic resources conservation, development and use in south and central Mindanao through a multi-stakeholder approach.

Methodology

Methodology used included the following: Archival work-review of SEARICE's organizational documents and outputs; Key informant interviews- staff, local and national government officials; Open ended interviews with stakeholders; Focus group discussions with farmer and NGO representatives/leaders; PRAs with communities; Round table discussion (involving maximum of 10 people) on how to go about organizing farmers into groups.

Key findings

- The contribution of the project has been substantial in increasing the intra-specific diversity in rice and inter-specific diversity due to establishment of herbal gardens in the community. The distribution of materials for PPB is not systematic.
- The effectiveness of farmer field schools in enhancing the capacity of farmers in varietal development is reflected by the increasing number of FVS available in the communities in North Cotabato and Sultan Kudarat. This indicates that the farmer-partners are really keen and experienced selectors.
- Farmer's self reliance of the seeds has also led to practice of organic farming. As for the returns from organic farming, farmers reported 60% reduction in yield. However, they also acknowledged the fact that this was compensated by higher net income due to reduction in use of external inputs.
- Some of the observations of germ plasm materials in medium storage reveal that there is loss of labels in foil packets, improper sealing of the aluminium foil and names and passport data did not match with the files. As for the documentations there is no information management system in place.
- Community seed banks were established in four barangays. It was observed that the Community seed banks served as a meeting place of farmers. It was also observed that the community had difficulty in maintaining the CSBs since it is not a traditional practice in the community.
- The partners in the government and NGOs acknowledged the role SEARICE has played in bringing PGR issues to the fore front.
- SEARICE has partial success in influencing some policies and government agencies through its policy advocacy and lobbying.
- There has been the formation and strengthening of farmers and community organizations along the lines of organic agriculture and farmer's rights.
- Being new to the organization, the majority of staff had a low knowledge and mastery over key issues related to the PVP act and IPRs.

Recommendations

- Priority attention should be given to the germ plasm unit of the center to minimize further losses of existing materials and the newly generated germplasm material
- Widen the scope of conservation by including crops that are underutilized and uncultivated.
- Multi tasking by strengthening the technical intervention of PGR conservation and participation with other networks related to land rights and allied issues.
- Biodynamic cultivation could be tried in a systematic manner.
- The system of documentation and monitoring could be made more reflective and analytical. The reports available are descriptive and need to pull all the activities together.
- Staff capacity building is necessary by exposing the staff to other organizations that have successfully implemented sustainable agriculture programme.
- Marketing of the organic products as safe and hygienic food could be promoted with a proper business plan.
- The people's organization can be strengthened with micro credit and other income generation programmes.
- SEARICE could also rethink the level of participation in the networks. For example by presenting their position in discussions and participate to listen to the other side of the arguments.
- A culture of systematic monitoring and sustained reflection and critical analysis of PGR related issues should be instituted and a good knowledge of the key PGR related issues that SEARICE is focusing on is definitely an excellent preparation for doing good policy advocacy and lobbying.
- Above all the team needs to take a sabbatical with some funding support to reflect on the organization's road map. It is unclear as to the overall direction where the organization is heading. This would be a good opportunity for the team to build their capacities and get trained on aspects they identify as important.

Comments from the organisation

Any evaluation is produced within a very limited framework with regards to the composition of the evaluation team, its time available, its access to information and how it analyses the information received. Furthermore, any social reality can be analysed and presented in many different ways, among which an evaluation represents only one. Hence while this evaluation report may be useful as a tool for general learning, it has limited value as a source of information about the particular projects and partners in question. We urge any reader to consult the partners involved or Development Fund before applying this information in a way that may affect the partners and the project.