BUTUAN CITY - In its effort to capacitate the Agricultural Extension Workers (AEWs) and co-operators of Learning Site for Agriculture (LSA) in the formulation of Business Plan, the Agricultural Training Institute - Regional Training Center 13 conducted a 3-day training entitled "Write Right: Training on Proposal Writing on March 11-13, 2020 at Amaris Grill, Butuan City.

Said training is designed to equip them so they can assist the farmers and fishers avail themselves of the various financing interventions and credit programs of the government. One of these is the loan and grant program in partnership with the Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP) through the Agricultural Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (ACEF). ACEF aims to provide necessary credit to farmers and fisherfolk and their associations or cooperatives to increase productivity.

In his opening message, Center Director Samuel L. Calonzo mentioned that ATI will try to make things easier for the farmers to come up with a winning proposal through the aid of the AEWs and representatives from DA-Agricultural Program Coordinating Office (APCO) as their work partners. Engr. Matt Andrew G. Baquiano, OIC Chief of the Partnership and Accreditation Services Section emphasized the need for farmers to tie up with government lending institutions in upgrading their respective farming enterprise.

Moreover, Dr. Victor Emmanuel A. Ozarraga, Consultant of Gawad Kalinga Development Foundation, Inc. shared his technical expertise on the basics of business plan development, the purpose and steps in farm business planning. He emphasized that farm owners must understand the value of his farm and identify the key success indicators as basis in formulating strategies to achieve their goals, vision and mission. Ozarraga also shared some tips in proposal writing and enumerated the elements of a winning proposal. He also encouraged the LSA co-operators to make a 5-year business plan not only for loan purposes but to serve as a roadmap defining the goals and steps needed in reaching them.

LBP Caraga North Lending Center representatives explained the mechanics and criteria of ACEF program during the 3rd day of the training. They discussed the salient features and enumerated the criteria and eligibility requirements of the program.

As final output, the participants presented 11 business plans before the panel composed of Acting Assistant Center Director Heracleo A. Paler, Matt Andrew Baquiano and Dr. Ozarraga.

There were 32 participants composed of AEWs from the Provincial and Municipal Agriculture Offices and DA- Agricultural Program Coordinating Office (APCO) of the Department of Agriculture – regional office and selected LSA co-operators.