The Department of Agriculture-Central Visayas through the Farm and Fisheries Clustering and Consolidation (F2C2) conducted a five-day Cluster Development and Business Plan Preparation Training held in Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental on May 6-10, 2024.

DA7’s F2C2 Regional Focal Person Gerry S. Avila, highlighted the importance of clustering in entrepreneurship development. Clustering and consolidation will help the farmers from production to markerting with the assistance of the DA’s Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance Division (AMAD).

Participants of the training were agricultural technicians and representatives of the farmers’ cooperatives and associations (FCAs), which include the Bacong Small Coconut Farmers Cooperative, Siaton Cluster 2, Santa Catalina Cluster 1, Basay Veterans MPC, Ayungon Cluster, Jagna Nagbalaye Agrarian Reform Coop, Punong Cangmatnog Association, Zamboangita Small Coconut Farmers MPC, Organic Farmer Practitioners Association (OFPRAB), Pula Potato Vegetables Farmers Association.

Among the topics discussed were Entrepreneurship Development, Business Model Canvass, Market Analysis, Financial Plan, Sustainability Mechanism, Managing the Enterprise, and Cluster Development Plan.