CONTENT:

1. STRENGTHENING FARMER-LED AND FARMER-OWNED MARKETING ENTERPRISES THROUGH TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND LEARNING EXCHANGE THE VIRGIN COCONUT OIL (VCO) ENTERPRISE OF CALIMA SOCIO-ECONOMIC MULTI-PURPOSE COOPERATIVE (CASEMPCO) IN POLA, MINDORO ORIENTAL, PHILIPPINES.

2. CONTENT: • Background of the enterprise • Results of the assessment • Findings • Analysis, conclusion and recommendation • Interventions plan • Within the project period • Beyond project period • Initial results of Intervention • Feedback on the use of assessment tools (suggestion if any for improvement)

3. BACKGROUND OF THE ENTERPRISE Date started: Late 2011 as a replacement of unprofitable enterprises - lending and retail store. Some cooperative members were trained by Philippines Coconut Authority (PCA) on the VCO processing and individually, they produced coconut oil. By March 2012, the cooperative members as a group participated in a trade fair and exhibit in SM Megamall for the first time. Right after the trade fair, a proposal to an embassy for a grant of P 1.5M to finance a VCO processing plant was submitted but was subsequently turned down because the land for the facility was only covered by a Certificate of Land Ownership Award (CLOA) and not by a Transfer Certificate of Title (TCT). By December 2012, the cooperative members entrusted the VCO processing to the cooperative. The assistance of Mindoro Ecological Sustainable Agri-Federation (MESAFED) was sought to promote and market the VCO. By December 2013, the request of the international firm increased to 10,000 liters per month. There is difficulty in complying to the demand.

4. BACKGROUND OF THE ENTERPRISE By March 2013, the cooperative received a start-up capital from Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) amounting to P150,000. The 193 cooperative members shared an additional capital of P100,000. The cooperative again participated in the annual trade fair and exhibit in SM Megamall and received an inquiry from an international firm regarding a considerable volume of VCO (5,000 liters per month amounting to P1,400,000). This was after they provided the firm with sample VCO that passed the required standard quality. By June 2013, the PCA and the local government unit (LGU) provided the cooperative with some processing machine/equipment (vacuum, filter, oil separator, moisture analyzer and filter tank). A private trading company loaned some processing machine/equipment payable in kind (VCO). By November 2013, the cooperative was awarded “Best Cooperative of the Year” by the provincial government. One of the reasons for the award, is the job generated for the VCO workers and income for the coconut suppliers. By December 2013, the request of the international form increased to 100,000 liters per month. There is difficulty in complying to the demand.

5. BACKGROUND OF THE ENTERPRISE Why VCO? The VCO in relation to the other CASEMPO enterprises. Net income – P 33,502 Gross revenues – 9%

6. Results of the Assessment

7. Results of the assessment Organizational Management – 2.3

8. Results of the assessment Organizational Management – 2.3

9. Results of the assessment Profitability and Solvency – 1.75

10. Results of the assessment Stability 1.2

11. Results of the assessment Market Access 1.5

12. Results of the assessment Inclusivity – 2.0

13. Results of the assessment Inclusivity – 2.0

14. Results of the assessment Sustainability - 1.67

15. Sustainability – 1.67

16. Interventions plan

17. Interventions plan

18. Initial results of Intervention • The inventory of the coconuts in Calima (2,000 hectares of land) is on going being conducted by the members of the cooperative with the assistance from some volunteers. They numbered each coconut tree, determined the old coconuts that should be replaced. This is the first time that this is being done and the process facilitated team effort and enhanced solidarity. • The General Assembly was conducted successfully and the agenda to focus on the VCO was approved with planned action: feasibility study, finding a new place for processing which is an important criteria for BFD licensing • The assistance to secure market – a young businessperson interested in the VCO had visited the processing area; had gotten sample for analysis and discussed with the manager possible arrangement

19. Feedback on the use of assessment tools The assessment tool for agriculture-based enterprise… …is a novel way of gauging the status of enterprises, (where are they now?) …includes all the element in an enterprise and reflect their actual stage of development …the visual/smiley face provides a quick simple way of knowing the status of the enterprise for each element …easy to compute/with 1,2,3 scoring with no room for guessing because there are corresponding descriptions per score