Organization Ananlysis

Name of Organization:
Magsasaka at Siyentipiko para sa Pag-unlad ng Agrikultura (MASIPAG)
Farmers-Scientists Partnership for Development
Address:
3346 Aguila Street, Rhoda Subdivision, Los Banos, Laguna

History

MASIPAG is a farmer-led network of farmer organizations and local communities, representing more than 30,000 farmers in the Philippines who all believe in the sustainable use and management of biodiversity through people’s control of genetic resources, including the associated knowledge. In 1980, the glaring fact of rural poverty prompted NGOs (principally ACES Foundation) and a group of progressive scientists to initiate consultations among farmers in different parts of the Philippines. They discussed the impact of high yielding varieties on small farmers as well as other issues related to the rice industry. Starting at village level, these discussions were extended and coordinated throughout Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao and culminated in the BIGAS Conference in 1985.
In 1986, a farmer-NGO-scientist partnership was formed. A group of professors and researchers at the University of the Philippines, Los Baños, took the lead in establishing a “technical pool”: the farmer-scientist partnership. In 1987, the Farmer-Scientist Partnership for Agricultural Development was formally registered and ready to embark on the MASIPAG programme - Magsasaka at Siyentipiko Para sa Ikauunlad ng Agham Pang-Agrikultura.

Mission

To improve the quality of life of resource-poor farmers.

Linkaging and Advocacy:

MASIPAG takes an active stand on national and global issues that affect the food security and sovereignty of resource-poor Filipino farmers. It advocates farmers’ control on seeds and technologies, genuine agrarian reform and opposes globalization of agriculture, biopiracy, and the patenting of life forms, genetic engineering, and the entry of GMOs in the country. MASIPAG also links with local, national and international groups working on farmers’ rights and sustainable agriculture.

Programs and Services

Collection, Identification, Maintenance, Multiplication and Evaluation (CIMME) of cultivars of rice and corn, indigenous vegetables, poultry and livestock breeds. CIMME ensures that collected species and varieties are maintained in on-field seed banks for farmers’ access:
1,313 traditional rice varieties (TRVs) and 105 traditional corn varieties collected and maintained
1,288 MASIPAG rice
506 farmer-bred rice
188 MASIPAG Trial Farms, managed by farmers’ groups and individual farmers. Trials farms have a minimum of 50 TRVs and MASIPAG rice, and are living community seedbanks. Farmers study and select adaptive varieties from the trial farms and design cultural management practices suited to their particular agro-climatic conditions.
MASIPAG has two national and eight regional back-up farms where collected and saved seeds are conserved and improved.
Breeding. Farmers select and breed rice, corn and livestock, enabling them to develop cultivars/breeds from traditional varieties and stocks that are adapted to local conditions and whose resistance are enhanced against adverse conditions such as drought, soil and water salinity, and pests and diseases.
In response to adverse agroclimatic conditions brought about by climate change, MASIPAG has documented Masipag rice, farmer-bred rice and TRVs with particular adaptation:
7 flood tolerant varieties
17 drought tolerant varieties
19 saline (saltwater) tolerant varieties
23 pests or diseases resistant varieties
Developing Sustainable Agro-Ecosystems encourages farmers to shift from monocropping to diversified and integrated farming systems; from chemical to organic farming; and focusing from the individual farm ecosystem to community/agro-ecosystem wide conversion. Technical support and information is providied on critical aspects such as soil fertility management, alternative pest management, cropping systems, diversification and farm integration.

Documentation and Dissemination of Farmer Developed/Adapted Technologies (FDATs) refers to the reaffirmation, systematization and practical application of local knowledge systems in agriculture, giving members additional farm management options.

Local Processing and Marketing Support is provided to member organizations that are engaged in alternative and PO-managed processing and marketing initiatives. Current emphasis is on the development of Internal Quality Control Systems for organic farm products.

Education and Training enables network members to acquire knowledge, skills and attitudes to make them better equipped in sustaining their program and activities at the farm organization and provincial levels. On-farm trainings are based on needs analysis and responsive to the farmers’ actual situation.

Program/Project Benefit Monitoring and Evaluation System (PPBMES) is an internal database system for monitoring progress and assessing the socio-economic impacts of the projects, serving as basis for improving program efficiency and effectiveness.

Network Strengthening and Consolidation boosts internal systems and processes and builds the capacities of the various levels of MASIPAG — the member organizations, Regional Project Management Teams, regional and national secretariats, and the Board of Trustees.

Linkaging and Advocacy – MASIPAG takes an active stand on national and global issues that affect the food security and sovereignty of resource-poor Filipino farmers. It advocates farmers’ control on seeds and technologies, genuine agrarian reform and opposes globalization of agriculture, biopiracy, and the patenting of life forms, genetic engineering, and the entry of GMOs in the country. MASIPAG also links with local, national and international groups working on farmers’ rights and sustainable agriculture.

Organizational Structure

Carlito Seguiro – (MASIPAG Chairman of the Board)
Dr. Chito Medina – (National Coordinator)
Charlito Z. Manlupig – Board member
Jose Noel D. Olano – Chairperson

Ariel C. Hernandez – Board member

Sylvia Okinlay-Paraguya – Vice Chairperson

Ma. Corazon B. Gaite-Llanderal – Board Member

Goldelino Chan – Board Member

Charmaine Mae J. Dagapioso-Baconga – Executive Director

Staff Volunteer

Myraflor Otero – Admin Assistant

Community-based Team:

Rochelle Mordeno –Area Coordinator of the Community-based Operations and DRRRM
Leornardo Bautista –Area Manager-Surigao Sur
Rosario Baldevia –Area Manager-North Cotabato
Sabrina Garcia-Balais –Area Manager-Misamis Oriental
Jojow Laurico - North Cotabato
Melascom Malicay-van Vugt - Surigao del Sur Disaster Response, Risk Reduction and Management, and Resiliency Building (DRRRMRB) Team:

Rochelle Mordeno –Area Coordinator of the Community-based Operations and DRRRM
Jasmin Gamos-Fabe –DRRM – Cagayan de Oro City
Amorelle Rejas –DRRM –Cagayan de Oro City
Donna Banaynal - DRRM – Cagayan de Oro City International Center for Peace in Mindanaw and Action Asia Secretariat:

Belle Garcia-Hernandez – Coordinator of ICPEACE and Security Sector Partnership Program
Lerio Latumbo
Sabrina Garcia-Balais
Rochelle Mordeno
Charmaine Mae Dagapioso-Baconga
Hazel Aspera Networking, Coalition Building and Advocacy:

Eileen Ipulan-Bautista – Coordinator of NCBA and Budget Works
Jasmin Gamos-Fabe Administration and Finance:

Antonio Nobleza – Admin Officer
Bernand Escobilla – Driver
Donna Banaynal –Finance Officer
Emma Paga –Cashier
Cristita Rada - Cashier
Amelia Salas – Book keeper
Laureen Aquiño - Book keeper

Former Year of Service Volunteers:

Melascom Malicay-Van Vugt
Jefferson Opaon

Reflection or Insight:

With our world facing the trials of food scarcity and unsustainability. It’s important to note and acknowledge various organizations taking emphasis in uplifting our suffering.
While organic small-scale farming has long been heralded for its potential to improve the health and the environment, this study puts sustainable agriculture to the test. It shows that not only are the health and environment outcomes better, but yields, incomes, food security and social empowerment are all significantly higher for organic farmers. What's more, particularly strong benefits are felt by the poorest and most marginalized.

With a thorough, scientifically sound approach, the book investigates organic farming through the work of a Filipino farmers' network called MASIPAG. The organization is optimistic about the possibilities:

"The research reveals that not only are there solutions to the problems of the world today, but that they are already being practiced - in this case by tens of thousands of people throughout the Philippines. The farmers of the network have taken powerful steps to improve their agricultural systems, to provide food for their families and communities, and to care for our planet"