CHARMP2 pursues monitoring of completed projects

Long after the completion and turnover of project support, the beneficiaries of the Second Cordillera Highland Agricultural Resource Management Project (CHARMP2) are now doubling the benefits they gained from the project’s interventions in their livelihoods.

This was known following the conduct of a field visit cum monitoring of 3 livelihood interest groups (LIG) that were assisted by CHARMP2 in Macalino, Calanasan, Apayao. The visit was carried out on February 1, 2018.

The field visit aims to assess whether the interest groups are implementing their activities as stated in their business plans. The visit also aims to identify the needs of the LIG for possible interventions by the Project and other partner agencies.

The interest groups monitored were the Macalino Indigenous Farmers Association (MIFA) which served as the mother PO for the MIFA hog growers, MIFA coffee production, and MIFA soft broom production, processing and marketing.

At the moment, the MIFA coffee and MIFA Soft broom group used their livelihood assistance fund (LAF) to finance their corn production since coffee and soft broom is not yet in season at the time the LAF was turned over to the group. The group however, assured the monitoring team that they will follow and implement the activities contained in their business plans.

The MIFA Hog growers association has 20 members who are very thankful of the Project because they were able to benefit from the AAIGA Component of the Project. According to Ms. Cheryl Agustin, “nakatulong ken mayat daytoy a proyekto ta idi inlakok dyay naited knyak idi damo nga baboy, naggatangak t dowa nga burias, tadta kasla adda ganansyak nga dowa a baboy.” (The subproject is beneficial and good because when I sold the first hog, I used it to buy two piglets. Right now, I have two swine that serve as my gain.)

After the consultation with the project beneficiaries, monthly meeting schedules to be set and storage facilities to be put up by the group, for the monthly dues to be paid by members on time and for the materials needed by the group such as planting materials and fertilizers to be purchased all at the same time were the agreements made by the group.

The monitoring of completed CHARM2 Project is in pursuance to the memorandum of agreement (MOA) between the Project, Local Government Unit (LGU) and beneficiaries that mandated continuous monitoring of subprojects by the project staff in partnership with the Municipal Local Government Units (MLGU) through the Municipal Agriculture Office (MAO) even after project phase out.