The Department of Agriculture Regional Field Office 8 (DA-RFO8) convened Provincial and Municipal Agriculturists from across Leyte, Southern Leyte, and Biliran today to discuss updates and collaborations regarding Farm Clustering and Enterprise Development.

This activity highlighted the harmonization of the F2C2 program and the Sagip Saka Act. This synergy plays a pivotal role in providing farmers and fisherfolk with greater opportunities to market their products as “agripreneurs.” Furthermore, the specific enterprise and market requirements of Sagip Saka were presented and discussed as integral components of farm clustering and cooperative development.

Representatives from the participating provinces organized into breakout sessions for workshops to identify potential Sagip Saka beneficiaries and clusters within their localities. They also drafted cooperative formation and cluster development plans, which were lauded by Dir. Leonarda Londina, DA-RFO 8 Regional Technical Director for Research and Regulations.

Republic Act 11321, also known as the Sagip Saka Act, was enacted to strengthen the livelihoods of farmers and fisherfolk by mandating government procurement of food products directly from local producers. This initiative promotes the local sourcing of agricultural goods through a simplified procurement process while empowering producers to transition into successful agripreneurs.

Through cluster formation, farmers and fisherfolk will gain improved access to technical and financial assistance. This strategy also facilitates the consolidation of produce, effectively opening doors to more robust and sustainable market linkages.