|
Archives
Feb. 1-28, 2004
I say, Mindanao is
exciting
by Carmela B. Brion
 As
Tito Madz and I boarded Boeing 737 en route to Davao
City, several thoughts came into my mind. We are going
to Mindanao to attend the workshop on “Setting
up the Indicators for Measuring the Impact of CPAR and
RDE Activities.” We will be assisting the regions
in measuring the effects of CPAR on the lives of rural
farmers.
Mindanao RIARCs felt the need to discuss
ways of assessing their CPAR and RDE activities. They
are bombarded with so many models and methods available
that’s why they need a cost-benefit analysis of
research suited to the activities in their region.
The beginning of the workshop reminded
me of high school days where my Physics teacher would
ask us the perpetual first-day-of-class type of question:
“What is Physics?” That teacher would be
Dr. Aida Cariño, the facilitator of the workshop
and the regional technical director of RFU 9. She also
asked us our definition of indicators.
Indicators, according to Dr. Carino,
are variables or parameters that measure changes over
time. For example, a good indicator for a training activity
would be the number of farmers/housewives trained. As
the workshop started, participants were asked to use
a table format with a very cutesy name, the Hipopo table.
Hipopo sounds like a truncated name of an animal with
very huge nostrils, but actually, Hipopo stands for
Hypothetical Input, Process, Output and Outcome.
Dr. Cariño also explained that
these indicators shall serve only as a guide to the
regional implementors. When she asked the participants
if there were more questions, that’s when I began
thinking real hard if my question would make sense.
I asked the facilitator if we could classify the impacts
into 3 categories: economic, social, and environmental.
This will be a lot easier to prepare and this format
would immediately show any reader the effects of CPAR
and RDE projects. They agreed and I was relieved.
After the participants presented their
outputs, Mr Amador Macabeo (or Tito Madz) and I secretly
created a matrix discussion points which might be of
help to the regions in setting up the indicators using
the three levels: farm household, community, and institutional.
This trip can be non-technical too. On
our fellowship night, I discovered that Mindanao partners
have more to offer: the region is teeming with raw talents
waiting to be unleashed. Forget rheumatism and osteoporosis.
I was so amazed by all their talents. This is the perfect
opportunity to witness the lighter side of these hard-working
people.
Hospitality-wise, I cannot ask for more.
Ms. Rosario Boque gracefully assisted us with our needs
. There are lots of delicious foods and ice-cold drinks
served. I saw Tito Madz’s fatal attraction to
kinilaw na malasigue, he ate nothing but this specialty.
Meanwhile, I was so confused I did not eat any of them.
Instead, I concentrated on Davao’s famous pomelos.
How can I forget this trip? The intellectual
discussion with the RIARC people, discovering raw talents,
the foods, the sights, and most especially, the people.
I will no longer be curious about the story of a senior
BAR staff why a trip to Mindanao is always exciting
despite the peace and order situation in the region.
February 1-28 2004 Articles:
:: S&T
in agriculture is strategy for hunger-free Philippines-FAO
::
Nat'l
convergence team consults with 3 major islands
::
Sweet
Elena is identified as best mango variety
::
Farmer's
Field Day showcases hybrid corn technologies
::
DEBESMSCAT
hosts Bicol's first white research corn review
::
She
holds her own bright light
::
I
say, Mindanao is exciting
::
Lessons
from a peri-urban agri project
::
Makapuno
industry: A goldmine overlooked
::
Reaping
benefits from China's Nongda 108
::
The
silent giant in tomato land
|
