Palayamanan model: a strategy to sustain gains in community development

There have been many documented successes of development programs that were geared toward enhancing the capability, productivity, and profitability of rural communities. Most of these success stories, however, were confined within the pilot sites and not sustained by the community because of lack of institutional infrastructure to provide appropriate support to farm household. Knowing that the farmers_ needs could be better served and sustained by multi-sector partnerships, PhilRice has been forging partnerships with government agencies, research institutions, academe, non-government organizations, private sectors, and farmers_ organizations. The partnership is aimed at pooling technical knowledge, financial, manpower, and physical resources to effectively deliver services and develop mechanisms or strategies to sustain gains in rural development programs. Starting in 2003, PhilRice supported the establishment of 7 Palayamanan Model farms to serve as Community seed banks. The Palayamanan model farms produced and maintained planting materials and animal stocks for the community-based model farm. These also served as learning centers for diversified farming systems. Each of the community-based model farm was allotted Php 100,000 for capacity enhancement activities and for the procurement of needed farm inputs that were loaned to the farmers. The proceeds from the loan were funneled back to the project in a rollover scheme. In each site, about 20-30 farmers per batch have undergone training using the Farmers_ Field School approach but only a core of 10-15 farmers were provided with input loan support to implement diversified farming. Based on this concept, the number of farmers being trained and supported is increasing exponentially. Following the Palayamanan strategy of putting up institutional infrastructure, the project is expected to be sustained and even expanded to other communities because the availability of material inputs and funds to support rural communities is ensured.