The digitalization program of agriculture and fisheries initiated by the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) goes on a higher plane as it directly links rice farmers with consumers through a digital marketing platform.
Two pilot areas have been identified for the launching of the program this year – the Province of Misamis Oriental which recently activated its digital platform called PAGROLINK and the town of Taraka, Lanao del Sur which invested in Solar irrigation Projects for its rice farmers and established an Economic Enterprise Office.
The MinDA AGROLINK will now become one of the components of the MinDATienda Program which had successfully staged actual and face-to-face events marketing products of farmers and fishermen from Mindanao.
The most successful MinDATienda event was co-sponsored by the City of Manila in October last year where organic rice farmers of Mindanao were able to sell some P60-M worth of Black, Brown and Red Rice.
Under the MinDA AGROLINK Program, the rice farmers of Misamis Oriental and Taraka, Lanao del Sur will be assisted by the local government units in consolidating their produce and in the establishment of processing facilities, like a rice storage facility, rice driers and a modern rice mill.
Institutional buyers like restaurants and workers and employees of both private and government agencies will also be identified and included in the database.
Even private individuals and families who would like to participate in the program as pre-registered consumers will also be included.
Using a digital database, the Economic Enterprise Office of the LGUs could quantify the actual rice requirements of the consumers and initiate a regular delivery program in the same mode as “Shopee” or “Food Panda.”
This innovation is expected to protect farmers from manipulation by traders and middlemen and increase their earnings.
This will also address the concerns of consumers whose marketing trips are limited by the protocols set to address the COVID 19 Pandemic.
The program will also create job opportunities for hundreds who will be involved in the delivery of rice to the pre-registered consumers.
The design of the digital program is now being finalized and is expected to be implemented before the end of 2021.
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(Infographics were prepared by Noel Degamo, MinDA IT Consultant.)
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