KAMMP, a step towards uplifting farmer’s life
The Philippines is still primarily an agricultural country.
As the lead agency for agricultural development, the Department of Agriculture (DA) has been pursuing its critical role in providing and developing programs that would enable and capacitate the agriculture sector, especially our farmers to improve and advance the local food supply chain to competitively engaged the global market.
To date, the main consideration was to further develop and enhance the business/enterprising capability of our micro-small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) specifically engaged in agribusiness through agribusiness mentorship and coaching from business experts.
In this regard, the DA developed the “Kapatid Agri-Mentor Me program (KAMMP) to promote, sustain and scale up Agri-business initiatives in the country.
What is KAMMP?
KAMMP is an agribusiness mentorship and coaching program developed by the DA through the Office of the Secretary patterned after the “Go Negosyo Model” of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI). With the DTI’s success in this program, DA also believes that this will help Farmer Organizations and Cooperatives in their endeavor to lift up their farming businesses and become agripreneurs..
The project primarily aims to equip agricultural entrepreneurs with a better understanding of how agribusiness works and how they can effectively maximize their resources. In partnership with the Go Negosyo Team, private corporations and other government agencies, this program seek to educate and provide assistance to our farmer-entrepreneur organizations, strengthen their business operations, and build-up their capability.
It is implemented by the DA through the Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance Division (AMAD) taking the lead in spearheading this program in partnership with the ATI-Regional Training with the various Farmers’ Organizations and Cooperatives as beneficiaries.
The 4-day mentoring program is composed of modules focused on making a business out of farming. The eight modules cover Entrepreneurial Mind Setting and Values Formation, Marketing, Accounting for Non-Accountants, Financial Management, Farm operations management, Basic Contracts and obligations, Agri-Supply and Value Chain and making Simple Business Plan.
Agri-business Industry experts and practitioners with an extensive knowledge in agricultural entrepreneurship are tapped to guide farmers in learning the modules. They will impart the proper production techniques, mindset and values, practical knowledge and strategies, and consultation services to foster successful and sustainable agri-enterprises to the participants in a way that is easily understood by them
KAMMP in CAR
In pursuit of uplifting the life of Cordilleran farmers, the DA in collaboration with the Agricultural Training Institute-CAR conducted a 4-day mentoring program last year.
Around 70 beneficiaries coming from the group of farmers and Local Government Units (LGU) who are interested in the field of agri-business attended the said training.
As a result, a total of 11 drafted business plan was presented on January 26, 2018, as part of the Agribusiness Support for Promotion and Investment in Regional Expo (ASPIRE) held at the Ben Palispis Hall, Benguet Capitol, La Trinidad, Benguet. These were business plans of the La Trinidad Organic Practitioners, Kiangan Organic Practitioners Association, Barangay Loacan Organic Farmers Association, Our Farmers Haven, Mt. Province Heirloom Rice Farmers Association Cooperative, Kalinga Rice Terraces Farmers Association, Heirloom Rice Federation, Mt. Province Small Ruminants Goat Raisers Association and TOPDAC Multipurpose Cooperative.
Business plans presented were critiqued by a panel of experts from the agribusiness sector and academe for further coaching and improvement.
According to Efren C. Lorenzo, staff of the Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance Division (AMAD) DA-CAR, comments and suggestions from the panels will help the beneficiaries improve and complete what is lacking in their business plan to qualify on the lending programs of DA, Agricultural Credit Policy Council (ACPC) and other financing institutions.
AMAD will continue to assist and monitor the beneficiaries to ensure the implementation of their business plan thereby establishing their own business in their respective areas
