December 18, 2002

DAR-DA MEMORANDUM CIRCULAR NO. 02-03

SUBJECT    :     Creation of a Coordinating Committee for the DAR-DA convergence plan in
                           coconut producing Agrarian Reform Communities (ARCs)

Pursuant to the mandate of the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) to implement the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) and the mandate of the Department of Agriculture (DA) to promote agricultural productivity and development that will ensure food security, poverty alleviation, people empowerment and global competitiveness, and to focus the delivery of support services and complement efforts in order to contribute significantly to the alleviation of poverty in coconut areas, a DAR-DA Coordinating Committee for Coconut ARCs is hereby established and shall be responsible in formulating and implementing convergence initiatives for farmer-beneficiaries in coconut areas that are awaiting assistance or support services delivery.   aTICAc

The composition of the Coordinating Committee is as follows:

 The Committee may form its own Technical Working Group or Secretariat that shall be responsible in the preparation of operational plans and guidelines for the convergence plan and shall render report to their Secretaries every six months.

The convergence initiatives shall initially focus resources and efforts in thirty (30) Agrarian Reform Communities, that will be identified by the DAR and DA, located in the provinces of Quezon and Laguna in Southern Tagalog, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Samar, Leyte, Agusan del Sur, Agusan del Norte, Surigao del Sur, Surigao del Norte, all CARAGA Region and Maguindanao in ARMM. Coconut producing ARCs with no foreign assistance shall be prioritized under this program. Packages of support services projects and technical assistance will be prepared for accessing by the identified ARCs.

The convergence initiatives shall also tie-up with the "Kabuhayan sa Ilalim ng Niyugan" program of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, to augment farm earnings of the coconut farmers through alternative sources of income such as but not limited to vegetable production, fruit crop production and livestock and poultry production.

The Committee and the TWG shall ensure the active participation of the Local Government Units and other stakeholders and identify areas of cooperation in the planning, monitoring, evaluation and implementation of the convergence initiatives.

This joint Memorandum Circular shall take effect immediately and amends any issuance inconsistent with it.   ETIDaH

Diliman, Quezon City, December 18, 2002.

(SGD.) HERNANI A. BRAGANZA
Secretary
Department of Agrarian Reform

(SGD.) LEONARDO Q. MONTEMAYOR
Secretary
Department of Agriculture