NATCCO is a multi-service national cooperative federation established in 1977 by the credit union pioneers in the Philippines. NATCCO was organized in response to the growing needs of the primary cooperative affiliates to coordinate the provision of training and educational services at the national level and to serve as the voice of cooperatives belonging to the NATCCO Network. NATCCO has formulated a new project proposal for het period 2007-2009 based on an external evaluation wich took place in 2006 and reviewed the progress of the 2004-2006 project and identified its strengths and weaknesses. The outcome was to focus on a reduction of the vulnerability of the corn and sugarcane farmers in the marketing of their products by enhancing their capacities to directly transact with market outlets and set fair prices. Specific objectives are: 1. To improve the operational and financial sustainability of the marketing enterprises in Batangas and Bukidnon. 2. To improve the welfare of farmer-households and promote sustainable production practices 3. To raise public awareness and influence national policies on agricultural marketing Indicators: - A Manual of Business Operations is developed and formally adopted - Increase in outreach by at least 150 new members each, of whom at least 1/3 are women - Increased volume of marketed corn and sugar, and additional farm products - Net Operating Incomes are sufficient to cover the salary costs of subsidized marketing personnel - Increase in net farm incomes - Development strategies are written - Farm plans are prepared - Household budgets and reproductive health are adopted - Non-destructive farming practices are applied - Favorable marketing policies and programs are adopted by relevant agencies

The goal of this programme is to contribute in improving the quality of life of at least 1,600 farming households (800 families for BCC and 800 families for Nagkasama) in selected municipalities in Bukidnon and Western Batangas by enhancing income from corn and sugar cane production and scaling up the cooperative business operations. Therefore NATTCO wants to develop the capability of the two cooperatives, BCC (corn farmers) in Bukidnon and Nagkasama (sugar growers)in Western Batangas, to manage their respective marketing enterprise resulting in a sustainable capability of the cooperative to provide quality and effective services to its members that can help their economic well being. The expected Outputs of these projects are: Well developed and functioning cooperative characterized by good governance, sound management and effective organizational systems and procedures. A profitable, viable and sustainable marketing business operation for corn and sugar. Functional and effective partnerships with service providers, market outlets, government agencies and other support.

The project does exist out of two sub-projects: a) establishing a viable sugar marketing cooperative in Western Batangas and b) establishment of a cooperative corn marketing enterprise in Bukidnon. A) Cooperative Sugar Marketing-Western Batangas NAGKASAMA or United Cooperative of Farmers Associations, is a federation of 23 cooperatives totaling 550 individual members. All members are sugar growers located in the Western Barangas. NAGKASAMA is the economic wing of the farmers organisation KASAMA and is a member of NATCCO, the national federation of coops in the Philippines. NAGKSAMA presently does receive assistance in the form of technical advise and a credit programme through the NGO CARDD. The 3-years project proposal does focus on the strengthening of NAGKASAMA, becoming a viable commodity based cooperative and the development of a strategy for enhanced sugar marketing through strategic partnerships with sugar mills active in the region. Natcco will be the main proponent of the project and responsible for the over-all supervision and will closely cooperate with a multi-stakeholder consortium in which PAKISAMA, PhilDHRRA (CARDD), private enterprises and governmental agencies will be represented. B) Cooperative Corn Marketing Bukidnon: This Institutional Development and Capability-Building Support Project aims to strengthen through the eight base savings and credit cooperatives initially the technical, organizational and managerial capacities of the 784 participating corn farmers in Bukidnon to effectively and sucessfully operate, manage and sustain their provincial joint corn marketing enterprise. Project strategies & activities Production & Post-Production Planning, Programming & Synchronization.To effectively and consistently deliver the desired quantity and quality of corn as stipulated in the purchase order arrangement with the livestock integrators, the project shall evolve a simple, workable and efficient system for programming and synchronization of the participating coops´ production and post-production activities. Linkages with Resource Organizations/Financing Institutions for Credit Support in Production and Marketing, and for the Cooperatives´ Postharvest Service Improvements.The project shall help access for financing from resource organizations and financial institutions (both government and private) that will provide the key interventions of production credit, marketing capital for receivable financing, and postharvest improvements. Formation of Provincial Corn Marketing Association and Formalization into a Provincial Corn Marketing Cooperative.In the long term, the most appropriate structure to operate this corn-trading venture is the Provincial Corn Marketing Association. The structure should be able to bring together the farmer project partners to a discussion on how the whole project will be implemented.Organizational Strenghtening, Capacity Building and Technical Trainings.This assistance shall be provided on three levels, namely: a) Farmers/corn suppliers, b) Participating cooperative´s officers and management, c)Provincial Corn Marketing Cooperative officers and management. Farmers/corn suppliers shall be given orientation on the joint corn marketing enterprise and their role as suppliers/owners of the enterprise. For the participating cooperatives and the provincial corn marketking cooperative, an enterprise planning and management framework shall be used as reference in the technical trainings.

This Institutional Development and Capability-Building Support Project aims to strengthen through the eight base savings and credit cooperatives initially the technical, organizational and managerial capacities of the 784 participating corn farmers in Bukidnon to effectively and sucessfully operate, manage and sustain their provincial joint corn marketing enterprise. Project strategies & activities Production & Post-Production Planning, Programming & Synchronization.To effectively and consistently deliver the desired quantity and quality of corn as stipulated in the purchase order arrangement with the livestock integrators, the project shall evolve a simple, workable and efficient system for programming and synchronization of the participating coops´ production and post-production activities. Linkages with Resource Organizations/Financing Institutions for Credit Support in Production and Marketing, and for the Cooperatives´ Postharvest Service Improvements.The project shall help access for financing from resource organizations and financial institutions (both government and private) that will provide the key interventions of production credit, marketing capital for receivable financing, and postharvest improvements. Formation of Provincial Corn Marketing Association and Formalization into a Provincial Corn Marketing Cooperative.In the long term, the most appropriate structure to operate this corn-trading venture is the Provincial Corn Marketing Association. The structure should be able to bring together the farmer project partners to a discussion on how the whole project will be implemented.Organizational Strenghtening, Capacity Building and Technical Trainings.This assistance shall be provided on three levels, namely: a) Farmers/corn suppliers, b) Participating cooperative´s officers and management, c)Provincial Corn Marketing Cooperative officers and management. Farmers/corn suppliers shall be given orientation on the joint corn marketing enterprise and their role as suppliers/owners of the enterprise. For the participating cooperatives and the provincial corn marketking cooperative, an enterprise planning and management framework shall be used as reference in the technical trainings.

NAGKASAMA or United Cooperative of Farmers Associations, is a federation of 23 cooperatives totaling 550 individual members. All members are sugar growers located in the Western Barangas. NAGKASAMA is the economic wing of the farmers organisation KASAMA and is a member of NATCCO, the national federation of coops in the Philippines. NAGKSAMA presently does receive assistance in the form of technical advise and a credit programme through the NGO CARDD. The 3-years project proposal does focus on the strengthening of NAGKASAMA, becoming a viable commodity based cooperative and the development of a strategy for enhanced sugar marketing through strategic partnerships with sugar mills active in the region. Natcco will be the main proponent of the project and responsible for the over-all supervision and will closely cooperate with a multi-stakeholder consortium in which PAKISAMA, PhilDHRRA (CARDD), private enterprises and governmental agencies will be represented.