Project Information

Farm-to-market roads (FMRs) serve as an integral part of our countrys road transport infrastructure. It is one of the logistical factors vital in the transport of agricultural goods and services, as highlighted in the Chapter on Sustainable Agriculture and Fisheries of the Philippine Development Plan (PDP) 2011-2016. It contributes towards promoting economic growth by ensuring easier access of local communities to basic social and market facilities. The provision of linkages and connectivity to far-flung communities and isolated rural areas also helps increase incomes and generate jobs; thus, helping alleviate poverty and promote inclusive growth.

In support to the mandate of Department of Agriculture (DA) in  establishing  a modernized agriculture and fisheries sector under  Republic Act No. 8435, otherwise known as the “Agriculture and Fishery Modernization Act of 1997 (AFMA 1997), the Farm-to-Market Roads development program is being carried out as of the priority infrastructure interventions of the Department of Agriculture (DA) that aims to help increase agricultural productivity, improve market access and reduce losses of Filipino farmers. It involves the construction/upgrading of farm-to-market roads (FMRs). The implementation of FMR project conforms to the following criteria: (a) agro-industrial potential, (b) social and economic contributions of the investments, (c) absence of public investments, and (d) presence of agrarian reform communities/beneficiaries and small farmers and fisher-folk in the area.

As part of the mechanism towards ensuring the achievement of the objective of the FMR development of improving access to markets and social services, the Department of Agriculture carried out a Technical Assistance on the Conduct of Monitoring and Evaluation of the Department of Agriculture (DA) Farm-to-Market-Roads (FMR) Project to develop and establish an appropriate monitoring and evaluation system that is up-to-date and able to aid in effectively assessing the status, progress and quality of FMRs, which were implemented during the period CY 2010-2013. The experiences gained and mechanisms established through the technical assistance would also help DA and its Regional Field Offices in pursuing its commitment to undertake monitoring and evaluation (M&E) of FMRs that were constructed through the DWPH, as indicated DA’s Performance-Informed Budget (PIB) in the 2016 General Appropriations Act (GAA).

The M&E team have undertaken and/or currently performing the following tasks and activities:

• Finalized operational, staffing and supervision plan for geomapping and M&E activities; developed workplan and components of the database platform and field and users manual; plan for the development of the web-based M&E system and tool; plan for data quality checks and reviews systems/processes; plan for the conduct of training; communication plan; procurement plan; and plan for organizing central and field offices.

• Developed, demonstrated, pilot tested and submit ted a web-based M&E system for FMR projects with M&E tool.  The results-oriented web-based M&E system was developed and implemented through a web-based registry of completed farm-to-market roads (FMRs) which were geotagged, in line with one of the best practices of the Department of Agriculture (DA), as pioneered by the WB-assisted Mindanao Rural Development Project and currently being applied in other projects of DA and other government agencies. The completed FMRs that are included in the web-based system were those funded by the regular funds of the Department of Agriculture (DA) during the period 2010-2013 (6,802 projects). The lead entities during implementation of the completed FMRs were the following: a) DA-RFU for CY 2010, b) DPWH for CY 2011, and c) DA-RFU for CY 2012-2013.   

• The web-based M&E system is supported by reliable data sources while also promoting the participation of all stakeholders involved in the implementation as well as beneficiary groups at the barangay level. The M&E system was developed towards promoting synergy about stakeholders through the following: (a) secondary data collection and review of reference documents with support from DA-RFO, DPWH-DEO and LGUs; (b) key Informant and Group Interview of Road Users and personnel of Implementing Agencies on benefits to local communities and O&M of FMRs; (c) site Inspection by Field Teams to ascertain road quality and serviceability; and (d) geotagging using mobile tablet application for geotagged pictures, tracks or alignment of FMRs, data entry on M&E forms and the automated uploading of data, geotagged pictures and scanned documents from the Tablet to web-based M&E server.

• Conducted a 6-day training  last July 2015 and February 2016 on applied geotagging technology and M&E system  amongst DA personnel and SDS geomapping and M&E team members by region/island cluster ( 200 participants).

• Consolidated data and reconciled individual findings to arrive at the Updated Road Network Plan and FMR Status Report. The recommendations provided policies and strategies in a more efficient operation and maintenance of farm-to-market road projects.

• An agricultural logistics guidebook is currently being finalized which presents an updated policies and development strategies for planning, prioritization, implementation and maintenance of FMR projects for the Department of Agriculture. This component involved policy and systems review on Philippine transport, logistics, infrastructure assets and issues on local road planning.