PCC, SEARCA increase farmers, CBED coordinators business literacy thru ‘BIZ Talk’ activity

Another “BIZ Talk’’ activity titled: “Value Chain Analysis (VCA) Team Business Talk: Business Workshop and Project Viability Analysis” was conducted at the Philippine Carabao Center (PCC) National Headquarters and Gene Pool in Science City of Munoz, Nueva Ecija last August 3-5.

“BIZ Talk”, an abbreviated form for Business Talk, is a series of activities conducted by the Planning and Information Management Division (PIMD) to enhance the business sense of farmers, PCC Carabao-based Enterprise Development (CBED) coordinators, and other industry partners related to the CBED Program being implemented by PCC.

Said BIZ Talk was organized by PCC-PIMD in partnership with the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA).

PIMD Chief Dr. Liza Battad said the activity was an opportunity for the participants to improve their current businesses in the processing and marketing of milk and meat products. She added it is also a venue to mentor the CBED coordinators to teach business to farmers.

Zadieshar Sanchez, Administrative Officer IV of PIMD, served as the speaker during the activity. Sanchez explained topics on Basic Business and Financial Concepts, Product Costing, Pricing and Discounts Offering; Breakeven Point; Elementary Marketing Principles; and Cost and Benefit Structuring of a Processing Plant.

Samuel Potante, chairman of General Trias Multi-Purpose Cooperative in Cavite, said the training helped them understand how a CBE should be conducted. He said he specifically liked topics on what are the requirements in the business, how to market products, how to look for store location, how to compute the return of investment, and how to compute costing of products based on inputs.

“The activity was meaningful because we learned a lot from it. We’re so happy that we were given the opportunity to be one of the participants in this activity,” he said in Filipino.

Dr. Arnel Del Barrio, emphasized that the activity was a good venue for the participants to appreciate their contribution in achieving the goal of the Department of Agriculture in the production of sufficient and affordable food.

The newest BIZ Talk activity was based on the result of SEARCA’s study on “VCA for Carabao Milk and Meat Product” which aimed to strengthen the weaker link in the dairy value chain such as addressing the need of farmers for processing equipment and increased business literacy.

The participants were composed of 39 dairy farmers from 13 PCC-assisted dairy cooperatives in Luzon and 16 CBED coordinators from PCC at Don Mariano Marcos Memorial State University (DMMMSU), PCC at Central Luzon State University (CLSU), PCC at Cagayan State University (CSU), and PCC at University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB).