Agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) performance monitoring and evaluation (M and E) system

Can CARP [Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program] really improve the lot of the ARBs [Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries], and lead to the transformation of agrarian sector? The adoption of a performance M and E [Monitoring and Evaluation] system as a tool could be the best way to answer this question. Indeed, the agrarian sector is being transformed from predominantly farming communities to those which combine both farming and nonfarming activities. This phenomenon emerges with increasing population and rapid pace of urbanization. Nevertheless, the ARBs and their households are at the current state where most of them are marginalized and would need different forms of assistance. Policy recommendations could be gleaned from the inputs and outputs generated though the M and E system. Concomitant policy directions need to be focus not only on the individual ARBs and their households, but also on their respective communities. Aside from making the farms viable (in preparation for global competitiveness), it is imperative to improve access to opportunities to increase their income. It is also necessary to provide basic social services in the enhancement of their living conditions. This is if the intention is to improve the overall welfare of agrarian reform beneficiaries. The provision of support services could be addressed by the government through agrarian reform and other complementary programs and projects. The provision of basic social services remains to be a function of the state that has to be performed generally by the government. Nonetheless, much remains on the workings of both the input and product markets - which to a large extent could not be directly addressed by agrarian reform. Solutions to address current policy directions could be properly inputted in the M and E system, and the effects to ARBs and their communities be clearly seen. If these could be addressed, there is optimism in the transformation of the agrarian sector