OE-NADA [Organization and Enterprise-Needs Assessment and Design Assessment] of the Proposed ARCCESS [Agrarian Reform Community Connectivity and Economic Support Services] sub-project: increasing sugarcane farmers' income through mechanized farming in Nasugbu, Batangas [Philippines] (Final Report)

This report presents the major findings of the needs and design assessment (NADA) for the proposed project entitled 'Increasing sugarcane Farmers' Income Through Mechanized Farming' to be implemented by the Riverside Multi-Purpose Cooperative at Bulihan, Nasugbu, Batangas [Philippines]. Assessment was carried out by first making a situational analysis and environmental scanning to identify the SWOT [strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats] internal and external to the ARBO [agrarian reform beneficiaries organization]. Data were gathered through FGD [focused group discussion] with ARBO officers and another with the community members as participants. Key informant interviews with the manager of the ARBO, the MARO [Municipal Agrarian Reform Officer] and the DF [development facilitator] of Nasugbu, and the Barangay [village] Captain of Bulihan were also undertaken. Secondary information were gathered from the ARBO itself, the Nasugbu Municipal Agrarian Reform Office, and the Municipal Agriculture Office of Nasugbu. It was revealed that the sugarcane farmers were really in need of heavy duty tractor to make land preparation easier and faster. Their production level ranges from 60 to 80 tons of sugarcane per hectare. The crucial factor though is the sugar content of the canes harvested. Most of the time, sugar after milling, average 100 bags per hectare. The more crucial is the price of sugar received by sugarcane farmers. It was found out that the price per bag of 50 kg of sugar ranged from PhP1,200 to PhP1,400. The Riverside MPC [multi-purpose cooperative] has the capability to manage this proposed project as evidenced by its experience in similar endeavor. It has in fact, several other agri-enterprises that increased the income potential of the organization. Moreover, the increased production, as a result of this proposed project may be processed into sugarcane juice, which is one of its existing potential agri-enterprises. This proposed project is an addition to the current CSP [Community Service Facility] agri-enterprise of the ARBO, the rental service for hand tractors, thresher, water pump and the second hand heavy duty tractor. These machines benefitted and will continue to benefit not only the members of the ARBO but also the non-members who are ARBs [Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries] in the Bulihan ARC [Agrarian Reform Community]. To ensure the success of this project, capability enhancement in the form of training and seminar lectures to be undertaken, is already a component of the project.