Capacitating Proponent Groups through Business Plan writeshop

To foster sustainable enterprise subprojects, PRDP Caraga’s I-REAP component held a Business Plan Writeshop for Enterprising Proponent Groups (PGs) on January 22 – 26, at Butuan City.

The writeshop, held in preparation for the implementation of proposed enterprises under DA-PRDP’s Second Additional Financing (AF2), aims to assist PGs in the formulation and refinement of their Business Plan.

‘By capacitating our Proponent Groups, we aim to inculcate a sense of ownership over their proposed subprojects. Through this, members are involved in strategic planning over how to make their subprojects sustainable,’ said Ronald G. Camba, Organizational Development Officer for PRDP Caraga.

I-REAP Component Head Lynn A. Pareñas also emphasized the importance of a sound and viable Business Plan for smooth and efficient subproject implementation.

Staff from PRDP Caraga’s various components held lectures on the contents of the Business Plan and the Economic and Financial Analysis (EFA), guidelines on upholding Social and Environmental Safeguards (SES), geo mapping tools and technologies, and procurement processes and documents, among others. One-onone coaching sessions were also held to refine the PGs’ outputs.

Four Proponent Groups and their cluster members participated in the writeshop, including the Kipundao Farmers Multi-Purpose Cooperative (KISFAMCO) from Buenavista, Agusan del Norte; the Perlas ng Silangan Multi-Purpose Cooperative (PERLASSCOOP) from Surigao City; the Garcia Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Cooperative (GARBECO) from Sta. Monica, Surigao del Norte; and the Mabog Agricultural and Industrial

Producers Association (MAIPA) from Bislig City.

With their packaged Business Plans in tow, the four PGs and their cluster members also underwent assessments of their enterprises and their training needs, profiling of the members of the Proponent Group, and capacity building activities focused on strategic planning for their proposed enterprises.

‘Capacitating our PGs is important as this ensures the sustainability of their subprojects. We want to accurately address their needs in organizational and enterprise management,’ adds Camba.

All four Proponent Groups are eligible for funding under the Second Additional Financing.