As SIFI continues to monitor and provide assistance to its ARB groups after the Livelihood Expo last December 2018, Ms. Cristina May Poblador, SIFI Livelihood Project Officer, conducted an assessment and evaluation workshop in January to gather individual feedback and lessons learned. The Agrarian Reform Beneficiary groups that attended the session came from CASA ARC, VISCAYA ARC, CASAL-AGAN ARC, and MACARBEN ARC.
Based on the Assessment of various products that had been displayed, the Revel Bars stood out significantly, followed by the Chocolate Cookies, Peanut Tarts, and other Bread, Peanut, and Quail products. The feedback also revealed that customers found their products “well-made and of good quality” and shared positive comments regarding the packaging and the taste of the product itself.
Aside from the positive feedback, assisted groups faced some challenges before they were able to produce quality products. Since they are from small planters’ base, they also lacked manpower to prepare and bake the products, which was one of the biggest setbacks they experienced. However, this did not affect their dedication and commitment to the project.
Through the SIFI Livelihood Expo, the assisted ARB groups were able to showcase their products and continued to improve their skills in food processing and teamwork. They also became wise vendors when it came to identifying the target customers and location for the business. At the end of the workshop, the ARB groups were able to identify some strategic interventions needed for the business to continue its progress, and plan for expansion of their enterprises while improving the soft and hard skills of their individual members.
