Helping farmers to be more productive and sustainable is one of the services given to communities by Rio Tuba Nickel Mining Corporation (RTNMC).
Helping farmers to be more productive and sustainable is one of the services given to communities by Rio Tuba Nickel Mining Corporation (RTNMC).
One of the many initiatives that RTNMC has been implementing is the Community-based sustainable farming program or the Vegetable Production Project as part of its Development of Host and Neighboring Communities (DHNC) component.
This project aims to help local farmers increase their knowledge in producing market quality, high-valued crops and competitive products.
As well as assist them in creating Farm Field Schools (FFS) to encourage other community members to adapt and replicate the introduced and implemented technology.
In addition, the Enterprise Development & Networking program is aimed at improving social performance, creating opportunities, building networks and linkages, developing community-based resource research and technology with the end to achieving project management and sustainability.
Because of this, the Community Relations (ComRel) Department has capitalized on a common public interest to implement quality and sustainable livelihood program to its partner communities.
It is achieved by upgrading the traditional farming knowledge of the community through technology transfer and research.
The program is consistently assisted, monitored and supervised by RTNMC ComRel resident agriculture technician and community organizers by combining their expertise and efforts to showcase and instill to the community the potential of large-scale vegetable farming as a viable and promising livelihood intervention.
This year’s milestone includes community participation, social preparation, integration of community-based resource research and technology, market outsourcing, skills enhancement through the aid of our project technician, project implementers and third party providers, experts and partners.
And one of the most compelling achievements and project sustainability key performance indicators it has reached is the creation of seven people’s organizations (POs) that have ventured in community-based sustainable and market-oriented farming, now shifting from subsistence farming.
Some of these POs are now eligible and accredited by Department of Labor and Employment as registered farmers’ associations.
These farmers’ associations are now beginning to engage in project operations and maintenance, project management, policy making, opportunity investments and implementation, transactions, income and yields recordings and market outsourcing within its barangays and town, furthering beyond the Municipality of Bataraza.
The program is implemented to support sustainable development goals and mission of RTNMC in a larger sense in terms of social support, community empowerment and business sustainability.
