Proud To Be Part Of The DAR Family

Ching, a new-found friend and colleague in rural development, visited the office today to exchange thoughts on the convergence of national  government agenies in Ilocos Sur. She is experienced, one can tell, on projects implemented by various proponents, in this case, Congressman DV Savellano of the 1st District of Ilocos Sur. I have had very informative discussions with her previously, but today was the most casual, just a conversation about how we can hit the ground running by June, the Congressman's target date of project launch.

My colleague, Rina was present, too, as I requested her to listen to the discussion  so that she can input the vital information on the proposals to be written. Our topics ranged from soil analysis and results proccessing/data banking, linking with appropriate agencies to input the results to a concrete set of farm-specific recommendations, communication platforms to make these recommendations acceptable to farmers, etc. The goverment agencies we were to tap to assist in this one project we then mentally listed and planned on how to 'sell' the idea to them. Ching and I talk coming from the same perspective: she has seen enough to conclude that many research and development initiatives stay 'useless' because they are not looked at as tools for spur improvement of cultures, practices and systems, particularly in agriculture. The results and recommendations are simply documented, bound by a decent printing press, and become merely books, gathering dust on some corner of a research arm of an agency. I told her, 'Sayang, kasi kung seseryosohin yung pag gamit sa baba, para sa mga magsasaka, kahit konti sana, makatulong.' 

Then I told her that perhaps the DAR's recent downsizing of personnel, resulting to less funds to go around, had a purpose. It struck me just today that we have started to value the time, effort and funds more now than before, well, because we are holding on to just enough. 'Just enough' meant we had to use all our resources to serve those who need our help most, and with wider reach. I also spoke to her of how we have managed to engage our farmers to be more accepting of new ideas, and take to heart their roles as 'sharers' to other farmers as well. We treat our farmers as family, and I am very proud of my colleagues who are assigned in the barangays because they have fostered relationships with them through the years. I told Ching that I know my farmer-leaders on a first-name basis, I labored to match names to faces, because I have seen how that alone bolstered their confidence in themselves. 

At times, it is disheartening to recall experiences which were unpleasant to me personally, like when I need to 'convince' other stakeholders in rural development that their willingness to contribute to any project, no matter what their agenda may be, is a 'good thing'. I did not think that there was 'convincing' needed, yet, many times I had to 'charm' my way to getting a 'yes' from other government agencies. I told Ching, 'My farmers are not beggars, you know. They are decent individuals who work for their keep each day. So I hate it when others treat them like beggars.'

Ching, and I was a bit surprised with her reaction, started to have tears in her eyes but she held them back. I guess she felt as disappointed as I was with some of the unpleasant experiences we had in common. Not that DAR where I belong to is a perfect organization. That was not the point I wanted to put across. I just wanted to share my sentiment that maybe, this whole bureacracy would be of better service if we worked a bit harder on listening to our conscience more often.