The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA), through its Emerging Innovation for Growth Department (EIGD), and the Department of Agriculture - Agricultural Training Institute (DA-ATI) have partnered for the project titled Evaluation of the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund – Rice Extension Services Program (RCEF-RESP) 2019-2024. The initiative formally kicked off during an inception meeting held on 19 March 2024.
The RCEF was established under the Rice Tariffication Law and the Philippines' liberalized rice trade policy to help Filipino rice farmers become more competitive and increase their income. As the lead implementing agency of the program, DA-ATI is responsible for the Rice Extension Services Program (RESP), which aims to upgrade rice farmers' knowledge, attitudes, and skills; increase access to modern, science-based farming techniques, knowledge, and technology transfer; and the offer training opportunities through scholarships.
After five years of program implementation, DA-ATI and SEARCA have begun evaluating its outcomes to determine whether it is meeting its targets and development objectives.
The inception meeting brought together the technical working group (TWG), the SEARCA project team, and representatives from DA-ATI, Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice), Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization (PhilMech), Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI), and Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA). They aligned expectations, discussed project objectives, and finalized the technical approach.
The meeting also addressed initial concerns and clarified the evaluation methodology for seamless project implementation. Dr. Ernesto Brown, SEARCA project team leader, led the discussions on the evaluation scope and data collection methods to ensure a shared understanding of the project's goals and processes.
SEARCA's involvement in this evaluation project underscores its commitment to support evidence-based decision-making for sustainable agricultural and rural development in the Philippines and across Southeast Asia.