Sharing of SPPI on their expience in setting up the Seaweeds platform in Northern Samar

1. SAMAR ISLAND SEAWEEDS VALUE CHAIN
NETWORK (Seaweeds Net)
(Providing marginalized farmers &fisherfolks sustainable and nature-
friendly alternative source of livelihood thereby stabilizing the supply
availability and quality of seaweed raw materials while earning
substantial returns for their households.)

2. Biri
Capul
These are island municipalities in Northern Samar. Small fishers used to plant seaweeds
here but they were faced with problems of unstable market & cases of ice-ice and
epiphytes.

4. Seedlings used to come from Eastern Samar

5. ICCO commissioned Seaweeds Value
Chain Study in 2009

6. MCPI Challenge: 20 tons/
month for a processing plant

7. In March 2010, Mr. Rene Guarin facilitated the
first TWG meeting of the seaweeds group.

8. TWG agreement
(in March 2010)
Technical Development- Trowel
Production
Materials and seedlings SPPI
Trading SPPI
Business management NAC/PHILSEN
support
Finance NAC/AKMA
Policy environment NAC/CERD

9. Meetings…

10. Trainings…

11. Seaweeds Net Protocols

12. PROCESS/ FUNCTION CONCERNS AGREEMENT
MARKETING
current market: MCPI, Cebu requires 20 tons a month Expansion in production
LOCAL CONSOLIDATION In barangays (local consolidators are PO
members)
quality free from foreign matters like straw, sand, etc
traceability labels/tags on sacks
number coding
price depends on prevailing market price (farm gate
price may range from P35-40)
payment COD to farmers
DRYING technology Hanging, platforms
HARVESTING 30 days
PRODUCTION/FARMING technology Single floating long line
No. of meters/line 35 meters x 14 lines per farmer; 250 gms per
clip
Basic requirements
LGUs a Coastal Resource Use map indicating areas
designated as seaweed farming zones
Farmers membership in a registered fisherfolk
organization in the municipality where the
nursery is to be located; production plan
SEEDLINGS variety cotonii
(spinosum will be accepted, separately packed)
quality free from diseases
source Nurseries in Capul , BFAR

13. Study Tours

14. In the process, we lost some : (
and gained more… : )

15. A seaweeds scientist is a member of the network.

16. Mr. Maximo Ricohermoso of MCPI talks to seaweed farmers

17. The Governor of Northern Samar during the Provincial
Seaweeds Conference

18. MULTI-STAKEHOLDER PROCESSES
• “Complex problems require innovative solutions. Innovative solutions are created
when diverse stakeholders are able to meet, share experiences, learn together and
contribute to decisions.”
• Multi-stakeholder processes are:
 processes that aim to involve stakeholders in improving situations that affect them
 forms of social interaction that enable different individuals and groups, who are
affected by an issue, to enter into dialogue, negotiation, learning, decision making
and collective action
 about getting government staff, policy makers, community representatives,
scientists, business people, and NGO representatives to think and work together

19. Stakeholders are involved in a
learning process Involves stakeholders working
Works across different towards a common goal
sectors
Has a focused objective to
bring about change
Engages with structural & CHARACTERISTICS OF
institutional change A MULTI-
STAKEHOLDER
PROCESS
Involves creating agreement
on rules of cooperation and
Deals consciously with power & process
conflict
Integrates bottom-up
& top-down strategies

20. Three Core Elements
Principles
Practice
The Dynamics of
How to Design and
Transformative
Facilitate MSPs
Change
Rationale
Governing for Sustainability
and Equity in a Complex World

21. PRINCIPLES
Working with complexity
Fostering collective learning
Reinventing institutions
Shifting power
Dealing with conflict
Enabling effective communication
Promoting collaborative leadership

23. THE SAMAR ISLAND SEAWEEDS VALUE CHAIN NETWORK (SEAWEEDS NET)
The market –MCPI – the private sector
Trade facilitator (SPPI)
• While a trader is defined by Wikipedia as “one who attempts to
generally buy wholesale and sell later at a profit; ” trade
facilitation is described as “involving a wide range of activities
centered on lowering trade transaction costs.
Seaweeds farmers – numbers are increasing (incentives: study tours,
awards; i.e. most innovative seaweed farmer
The NGOs which provide community organizing, participatory
development governance, access to markets and finance, gender and
environment advocacies, services and program support.
• NGOs are given the role as convenor in the Samar Island
Seaweeds Value Chain Network or Seaweeds net.

24. Seaweeds Net
Support from the government:
• Office of the Local Chief Executives through the Municipal
Agriculturists
• Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (Northern Samar
Province, Region 8 and Central Office)
• Provincial Government Environment and Natural Resources Office
• Provincial Governor’s Office – Gov. Paul Daza promised to match
Seaweeds Net’s needs with his office’s program.
The Academe thru Dr. Ronelie Salvador who is a recognized
seaweeds scientist in the Philippines.
ICCO, with its Value Chain Facilitation, who has been
mentoring/coaching us with our value chain processes and has been
providing us with organizational, technical and financial support.

25. DAMO GID NGA SALAMAT
JOELYN SOLDEVILLA BIAG
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, SPPI
LEAD CONVENOR, SEAWEEDS NET