A consultation meeting was conducted recently by the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resource Research and Development (PCAARRD) through the Socio Economics Research Division (SERD) Credit Policy Council (ACPC)
The meeting was held to level off the expectation of both parties on the program titled “An evaluation of the impact of ACPC Agricultural microfinance program for the small farmers and fisherfolk and their households”.
SERD assessment impact team Director Dr. Alberto P. Aquino presented to the ACPC officers and staff led by Executive Director Jovita M. Corpuz, the objective, expected ouputs, research methodology, and key activities that will be undertaken in the evaluation study-matters pertaining to the operation of the Agricultural Microfinance Program (AMP) which would aid in the formulation of steps towards the completion of the study were also discussed during the meeting.
At the end of the meeting conceptual and methodological concerns have been raised and addressed.
A memorandum of understanding (MOU) was signed earlier between PCAARRD and ACPC to establish research collaboration between the two agencies.
AMP is a joint program of the ACPC-DA with the People’s Credit and Finance Council (PCFC) and is part of the government’s Agro-industry Modernization Credit and Financing Program (AMCFP), an umbrella credit program created especially to cater to the needs of the agricultural sector.
The program aims to improve the access to credit of marginalized farmers and fisherfolk and their households in order to improve their productivity and income, and thus improve their welfare and reduce poverty.
The ACPC-funded impact assessment study aims to evaluate if the microfinance program was successful in fulfilling its objectives of improving the lives of their target beneficiaries. The PhP 3.85M impact evaluation program will be conducted for nine (9) months.
The impact evaluation program of the AMP is the first collaborative activity between the two agencies PCAARRD of the Department of Science and Technology and ACPC of the Department of Agriculture (DA) pursue a common interest toward the development of Agriculture and fisheries through research and institution building. (PsciJourn MegaManila)
