|
Archives
May 1-31, 2007
BAR and OptiServe collaborate for ICT community-based initiatives
by Marlowe U. Aquino, PhD
 The Bureau of Agricultural Research (BAR) and OptiServe Technologies, Inc. (OptiServe) have forged an agreement to support DA programs with the use of information communication and technology.
The agreement is a joint collaborative project titled Establishment of the e-Pinoy FARMS for a sustainable and Profitable Agriculture and Fisheries Community-based Initiatives in Selected Pilot Regions. Commonly called e-Pinoy FARMS is an initiative to direct the mainstream of community-based activities toward information-based agriculture and fisheries development. e-Pinoy FARMS stands for electronic farm resource management systems, an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) solution with built-in capability to integrate all data and processes of an organization into a unified system.
The key ingredient of e-Pinoy FARMS is the use of unified database to store data for the various systems modules which include Farmer/Fisherfolk Organization Module (e.g., Daily Operations Management and Production Scheduling); Local Government Unit (LGU) Module (Farmer/Fisherfolk Profile, Organization/Association Profile), Regional Integrated Agricultural Research Center (RIARC) Module (Community-based Participatory Action Research (CPAR) Project Monitoring and Evaluation Module) and BAR Module (Information Consolidation, Integration and Analysis Module).
The modules have unique features that support and enhance decision-making process of specific community-based activities, including operation and management.
More specifically, the project enables stakeholders to effectively monitor the value-chain management, value-adding and rise in agri-enterprise development and more diverse means for household income. It provides mechanism for process documentation of community-based initiatives and strengthens linkage and network with LGUs and research institutions through participation and complementation. It also provides access to information/technologies, including possible market linkages to farmer/fisherfolk associations and cooperatives for informed decision-making.
In addition, the project will make use of community information exchange strategies to be managed by the key players and stakeholders in order that agriculture and fishery products will be produced, processed, distributed, and channeled where they are most needed by the markets and consumers.
After two months of project conceptualization and approval, its implementation is now in full swing in Regions IX and V in support of the Community-based Participatory Action Research (CPAR) modality of the identified poorest provinces in the country. The provinces of Zamboanga Sibugay, Zamboanga del Norte, and Camarines Norte will have the initial run of the system and modules to make sure that the agriculture and fishery sector is a real business enterprise.
Regular monitoring and evaluation feedback mechanism and process documentation are included in the project in order that key processes, lessons, and experiences will be recorded for use in the next expanded area coverage. This will be further operationalized and institutionalized in all DA and DA-BAR community-based initiatives at the regional, provincial, municipal, and barangay levels. 
May 1-31 2007 Articles:
:: BAR celebrates Farmers and Fisherfolk Month; showcases 5 commerciable R&D technologies
:: 2nd Regional Techno Forum head starts in Luzon B Cluster
:: BAR and OptiServe collaborate for ICT community-based initiatives
:: Rillo wins 2007 Gawad Saka for outstanding agricultural scientist
:: BAR links with DLSU-Manila on ITMSI program
:: SMIARC intensifies RDE for all commodities
:: BAR conducts IP awareness and training workshop
:: BAR spearheads pre-implementation meetings on ludong and abaca
:: ICT to boost DA programs and services
:: Benefits from the ‘Queen’
:: Securing a sturdy ground for the duck industry
:: BAR leads synergy meeting on sweet sorghum initiatives
|
