Practical training in participative action research
Co-active research for solutions approach to provide technical support/coaching to a group of farmers to improve their agricultural practices and production
Improving agricultural productivity and incomes continue to be a complex challenge as farmers face many difficulties such as lack of access to better seeds ; lack of capital to buy better quality organic/inorganic fertilizers ; the lack of knowledge on improving soil fertility ; unstable market ; low access to market and weather extremes due to climate change.
The agricultural cooperatives are in the best position to help farmers meet these challenges and provide not just capital but continuous extension and market services that respond to the needs of the farmers. Thus, the agri-cooperatives need further strengthening in its ability to better understand the diverse situations, needs and concerns of the farmers and the implementation of its support actions or support services.
To meet this need, the Social Construction of Demand (SCD) is a methodological approach developed by GERDAL and Montpellier Supagro and adopted by Collectif Stratégies Alimentaires (CSA) in its work tostrengthen and enhance the services of agricultural cooperatives with the support of their Federations in Mindanao. This is carried out under the framework of MinPAD Spade project supported by GIZ which aims is to improve the sources of income of farming households and other vulnerable sectors and contribute to the attainment of a peaceful, developed and inclusive Mindanao.