1. Marketing and Entrepreneurial Practices of Coconut, Corn and Vegetable Farmers Dennis Prince Y. Germano, DBA Enterprise Development Officer Pambansang Kilusan ng mga Samahang Magsasaka (PAKISAMA), Inc., Philippines

2. Profile of Marketing Initiative CropFarmers Involved Towns/ Villages Volume (MT) Coconut1,0834648.7 Corn6984583.8 Veggies252341.06

3. Marketing partners (NGOs, Coops, local traders, processors) Brief history (will relate story) Current status: –Establishing market linkages –Organizing channels of distribution –Preparing business plans –Planning production of value-added products and by-products

4. Management structure: –Creation of Enterprise Committee –Enterprise Development is now a major function of PAKISAMA –An Enterprise Development Officer was hired to oversee the overall enterprise management and marketing –Regional Managers support marketing activities at the local level

5. Enabling Factors Facilitation of networks engaged in agricultural marketing (i.e. COIR linked PAKISAMA Mindanao to Robson) Local and global demand complementation (i.e. coconut) Growth of livestock industry (i. e. corn)

6. Hindering Factors Skewed industry design (coconut) Limited capital resources Inadequate business knowledge and technical know-how Limited access to primary markets Inadequate market information

7. Lessons Learned/Insights More market intermediaries squeeze profitability Consolidation and integration increases bargaining power (better price/deal) Earn well, do good! Study contracts before signing

8. Pay attention to customer requirements If price could not be raised, reduce marketing cost Presence of untapped local market

9. Challenges Ahead Sustainability of enterprise activities Capital requirements Surge of imported products Ageing farmer population Inadequate infrastructure and production facilities Market-driven systems

10. Recommendations Design and implement marketing plan (research-based) Establish agro-processing centers to stimulate demand Engage in mainstream business operation balancing cross- functions (Production-Marketing- Finance)

11. Design and strictly implement sound financial management policy Access available financing windows of development banks and government institutions Develop an alternative value chain

12. Design a product mix: old product-old market; old product-new market; new product-new market; new product-old market Exhaust all possible support (i.e. financing, production, and marketing) from government and private organizations

13. Intervention/Support Needed (National Level) Type of Support TechnicalTraining on processing finished products; setting up of processing centers; technology transfer MarketingMarket-matching; product planning and promotions; value-addition PolicyAccess to capital resources; trade incentives; marketing enabling conditions set by the government

14. Intervention/Support Needed (Regional Level) Type of Support TechnicalInformation and knowledge sharing MarketingCo-marketing; market-matching PolicyTrade facilitation

15. Thank you!