EMIT C4C conducts Anchor Themes Workshop in UP Mindanao

Dr. Pelkmans-Balaoing (left) and Dr. van Tulder (right) of the Rotterdam School of Management

The EMIT C4C (Escaping the Middle Income Trap Chains for Change: Partnerships for Inclusiveness and Competitiveness), a program under the UP CIDS in collaboration with the Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University (RSM), conducted an Anchor Themes Workshop on 27 January 2018 at the UP Mindanao Campus in Davao City. The activity was organized by Prof. Glory Dee Romo of the UP Mindanao School of Management. Attendees include UP Mindanao faculty from the business, economics, and natural science disciplines, UP Mindanao graduate students, and guests from the government, donor agencies, and civil society organizations.
The workshop formed discussions surrounding the action research initiative of the EMIT C4C and its fundamental findings, which have engendered the anchor themes presented. The exchange with stakeholders both substantiated and enhanced the research data on the systemic issues of agriculture value chains. Dialogues on potential areas of partnership between EMIT C4C and UP Mindanao were also initiated through the forum.
UP Mindanao Chancellor, Dr. Sylvia Concepcion, delivered the opening remarks and attended the entire workshop. The speakers that tackled the Anchor Themes were Dr. Annette Pelkmans-Balaoing (Elaboration on the EMIT C4C and the Anchor Themes Workshop; Inclusive development and peace: The Unifrutti-LaFrutera-Hineleban case; and Undertaking Action Research Projects) and Dr. Rob van Tulder (Elaboration on the EMIT C4C and the Anchor Themes Workshop; The Nature of Wicked Problems; and Inclusive business strategies and peace) of the RSM, Prof. Vlademir Shuck (Democratizing Food Governance through Direct Marketing Strategies: The Case of Vegetable Farmer Clusters in Marilog, Davao City) and Prof. Thaddeus Acuna (Contextualizing inclusive business: Financial perspective) of the UP Mindanao, and EMIT C4C senior researcher, Ms. Jane Capacio (Cooperatives, Property Rights, & Agriculture Contracts). Dr. Pedro Alviola IV of the UP Mindanao facilitated the discussions as the moderator.
The Escaping the Middle Income Trap Chains for Change: Partnerships for Inclusiveness and Competitiveness (EMIT C4C) is a program under the UP CIDS that aims to develop action research cases on front runner companies and civil society organizations (CSOs) engaged in agriculture value chains.  The primary interest is to scrutinize and understand the key elements that would enable inclusive and sustainable partnerships in Philippine agricultural value chains in order to effectively involve and benefit smallholders, indigenous peoples, and other rural poor populations.  The program intends to build collaborative learning and cross-sectoral partnerships for inclusive and sustainable agriculture value chains among corporations, CSOs, government agencies, the academe, and farmer groups.

Chancellor Concepcion opens the Workshop (left); a UP Mindanao student participates in the discussion (right)

The Workshop speakers and attendees