DAR Holds Consultation with ARBOs on Growership Scheme

The Department of Agrarian Reform in partnership with the Agrarian Reform Communities Project Phase 2 (ARCP2) conducted a consultation meeting with selected agrarian reform beneficiary organizations (ARBOs) on growership scheme. DAR’s Chief for Operations, Engr. Ronald Gadaingan, explains that this arrangement features subdivision of areas awarded collectively to agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) such as cooperatives of self-managed plantations. This fragments them into individual farm lots in order to empower the individual ARB to have greater control over the cultivation and production of crops in the awarded areas. 

The growership scheme came into light when the DAR Provincial Office embarked on an educational tour to plantations in the Davao region with officials from some ARBOs. Most tour participants were overwhelmed with the success of the growership scheme of farming system in the region and entertained the possibility of emulating from these experiences to be applied in their respective plantation- based cooperatives in Basilan.

Prior to this consultation, meetings were held with DAR major stakeholders like the Land Bank of the Philippines, Department of Labor and Employment, Department of Trade and Industry, and Cooperative Development Authority to discuss on how to continue productivity and improvement when these organizations shall have already subdivided. These series of consultations were aimed at making the stakeholders and key players appreciate the concept and understand the intricacies of implementing the growership scheme and eventually guide the coop officers and members to make a decision whether to shift into this new farming system or not.

 

During the consultation, the agrarian reform beneficiaries manifested interest and enthusiasm  over the new set up  as well raised concerns, skepticism, and apprehensions at the same time. Concerns include listing and delisting of ARBs, opportunities of other crops to be marketed, payment of separation benefits, and amortization.

Marilou Cruz of the Cooperative Development Authority stated that the growership arrangement should have been the ideal operating system in terms of managing the agrarian reform cooperatives. Right from the start, each ARB should have an assigned area to cultivate. In order to sustain the operations of the organization, about 10% of the coop’s funds should be set aside as a statutory fund and a portion for community, infrastructure, and training and education of its members. It has also been observed that most ARBOs have poor record management and urged them to review their policies on lending.

  

Schedule was set for each ARC’s referendum where this growership scheme will be presented to the general assembly for ratification. Subsequent activities shall then follow which is the preparation of program of work for submission to ARCP2 National Program Coordination Office for bidding and physical subdivision survey, revalidation of all ARBs who will stand to receive an individual farm lot, and preparation of Memorandum of Agreement between the cooperative and the individual ARB.

 

Present were members of the board of directors and managers coming from the organizations of Tipo-tipo Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Agricultural Development Cooperative (TARBADECO), Tumahubong Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Integrated Development Cooperative (TARBIDC), Canas Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Agricultural Development Cooperative (CARBADECO), Tairan Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Agricultural Multi-Purpose Cooperative (TARBAMC), Lamitan Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Cooperative (LARBECO), Sta. Clara Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Integrated Development Cooperative (SCARBIDC), Tipo-tipo Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Cooperative (TIPARBECO), Mangal Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Development Cooperative (MARBEDCO).