Participant: Mr. Dolaypan Roel Jr.
Philippine
Course: KCCP (Group and region focus) Strategic Management and Marketing for Sustainable Local Industry Development (A)
Mr. Dolaypan Roel Jr, who participated KCCP in JICA Hokkaido (Obihiro) in 2022, is working to promote comprehensive organic farming, from fertilizer production and soil improvement to agricultural waste utilization, at local agricultural schools, based on the ‘sustainable agriculture and community development as a strategic system’ that he learnt during the training. He has implemented his action plan on the field prepared at the end of KCCP, and the initiative has been recognized as an ‘Innovative Project’ by the Philippine Economic Development Authority.
The project that was recognized is the Vizcaya’s Optimization of Incubation Centers for Economic Sustainability (VOICES). In Nueva Vizcaya’s province, most farmers are elderly, and few younger generations are interested in entering the agricultural sector. As a remedy these problems, it was deemed necessary to (i) promote sustainable farming methods to farmers and (ii) motivate students and young people to become involved in agriculture by capturing their interest. Therefore, it was decided to establish an incubation center at the local Nueva Vizcaya Agricultural School to teach sustainable agricultural techniques and product development. Farmers, students, and entrepreneurs can learn and relearn the basics of sustainable farming and agricultural practices, entrepreneurship, marketing, and the dissemination of sustainable agricultural practices at the center.
From 2022 to 2024, the center delivered more than 20 training sessions, 14 product prototypes design and development, 45 knowledge/technology sharing sessions and so on. A total of 113 people were trained, including 83 micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), youth, and community members. Participants have acquired knowledge and skills from the center that contribute to sustainability and innovation. For example, an estimated 300 kg of agricultural surplus has been converted into value-added products, post-harvest waste has been reduced by up to 10% among trained farmers, and MSME product output and income has increased by an average of 10%. The VOICES project received recognition during the 2023 National Innovation Month Celebration, highlighting its impactful contribution to advance sustainable agriculture and climate adaptation in the region.
“As a project team leader, I oversaw the implementation of the VOICES Project to ensure that our sustainable development goals were achieved. The learnings from KCCP on systems thinking have profoundly shaped how I lead and serve.” He continues to develop regional society through a sustainable food system in the Province of Nueva Vizcaya.
A workshop for youth at an agricultural high school conducted by Mr. Dolaypan Roel Jr.
The VOICES project received the recognition during the 2023 National Innovation Month Celebration
scroll