The recommended strategies in order to effectively develop
Seaweed Gracillaria to the industry level managed and owned by
the Project beneficiaries are both institutional and
developmental. These are discussed in the following pages.
To provide a stronger foundation, there is a need to
strengthen the cooperative as an organization to make it a viable
vehicle for a cooperative enterprise level of operation.
Farmer beneficiaries shall have continous access to
technical trainings, project management, organizational
leadership and other entrepreneurial skills.
The development of a viable Seaweed Industry shall be
implemented in three (3) stages of enterprise activities; These
are : (a) Seaweed Farming at the Primary Cooperative level; (b)
Seaweed Processing (backyard and commercial scale) either at the
Primary or Federation Level; and, (c) Marketing and Trading at
the Federation level.
The objectives, target activities and strategies of
implementation for each enterprise activity are presented below:
Primary or Federation Level; and, (c) Marketing and Trading at
the Federation level.
The objectives, target activities and strategies of
implementation for each enterprise activity are presented below:
The pilot farms are expanded to a 1 Ha. economic size farm.
These are owned and operated by members at the primary level.
All the different classification of cooperatives discussed
earlier at primary cooperatives. A primary cooperative is onw
whose members are individual persons who combines their resources
for greater economic strength.
Objectives:
- To develop seaweed farming as a viable and stable
industry.
- To generate employment and provide alternative income
at the farm level.
- To contribute to the thrust of attaining adequacy in
production to meet domestic and export market demands
for Gracillaria.
- To help achieve ecological balance conducive to the
development of man and nature.
Target Activities:
- Selection/ocular survey of areas suitable for seaweed.
- Conduct of massive information and dissemination
efforts.
- Organization and/or selection of cooperatives.
- Training on seaweed culture.
- Loan packaging for seaweed culture farming (if no
internal funds are available)
- Establishment/development of appropriate seed stocks.
- Establishment of economic size farms (1 ha).
- Monitoring of farm and farming activities.
Strategies for Implementation
- Selection of qualified beneficiaries/cooperative in
order to attain a more coordinate effort among
themselves thus, providing better and easier transfer
of technology and other services essential for the
success and continued vability of seaweed farming.
- Training of qualified beneficiaries. This includes
selection of a viable site and identification of the
appropriate specie for the site. These shall be
closely coordinated with BFAR/DA seaweed technical
people.
- The establishment of an initial 1 ha. seaweed farm &
farm/cooperative.
Primary cooperatives can engage in simple or backyard
processing activities. However, the grouping of cooperatives
into a Federation will make seaweed processing more efficient if
these are done on a larger scale. Federations are also called
Secondary cooperatives.
Objectives:
- To establish a processing plant in order to meet the
need to expand seaweed farms.
- To upgrade technical know how of seaweed farmers into
seaweed processors.
- To produce substantial volume for the domestic market.
- To produce “gulaman” bar for the local market and agar
for local and export markets.
Target Activities:
- Selection and training of appropriate technical
personnel for the operation of a Seaweed Processing
Plant.
- Preparation of a Feasibility Study for the packaging of
a loan for the establishment of a Seaweed Processing
Plant.
- Submission/approval of loan package for the Seaweed
Processing Plant.
- Establishment of a Seaweed Processing Plant: (a)
building of infrastructures; (b) procurement of
processing faciltiies; and, (c) processing of seaweeds.
- Manpower development and enterprise development.
Strategies of Implementation
- Organization of primary cooperatives into a Federation.
- Election of the Board of Directors of the Federation.
- Involvement of cooperative officers in the preparation
of a Feasibility Study and identification of loan
sources for the establishment of a Seaweed Processing
Plant.
- Formulation of policies and procedures for the
management and operation of a Seaweed ProcessingPlant.
- Formulation of a Management Action Plan. It shall
consists of the following elements: objectives,
targets, steps, responsible persons, major activities,
schedule and persons and agencies who can help. Among
others, problems that may crop up during implementation
shall be identified and corresponding solutions are
discussed.
- Involvement of cooperative officers in the preparation
of Feasibility Study and identification of loan sources
for the establishment of a Seaweed Processing Plant.
- Establishment of Seaweed Processing Plant to be
operated by the farmer/cooperatives.
- Intensify netwworking with government and non-government
agencies involved in the technical,
management and entrepreneurial development, e.g. L.B.,
BFAR,DTI,CDA, etc.
Resource Requirement: Board of Directors, Federation Level.
Objectives:
- To determine the trade policies of the Philippines and
target foreign markets for seaweed and seaweed
products.
- To evaluate the effects of said trade policies on the
growth of the Philippine seaweed industry.
- To formulate recommendations necessary for the growth
and development of Gracillaria seaweed industry.
Target Activities:
- Updating of relevant trade policies on seaweeds.
- Establishing institutional linkages, e.g. Seaweed
Industry Association of the Philippines (SIAP).
Strategies of Implementation
- Continuous communication with other sectors and
institutions like foreign embassies.
- Conduct dialogues and consultations among industry
participants.
The development of a seaweed cooperative enterprise will
depend on the strengthening of the organizational viability of
the primaries and coordinate eforts with agencies involved in
seaweed development.
Proposed sources of funds for each economic activity may be
internally generated through savings mobilization on the part of
the cooperative or applying for a grant or loan. For example, an
initial contribution of P10,0000.00/ cooperative as paid up
capital in the formation of a Federation can be utilized to
initiate market and trading activities.
