Center for Rural Enterprise & Appropriate Technology

CREATE (Center for Rural Enterprise & Appropriate Technology) was conceived and initiated in 1988 to remedy the lack of organized knowledge about rural enterprises and appropriate technologies and to assist in indigenous resource and community development to increase rural incomes. It started with two programs: (a) Program for Management Development, Extension and Credit (PROMDEC) and (b) PROJECT TREE.

PROMDEC has been involved in research and training in the areas of small business management, agri-business and cooperatives. Its activities have been supported by funds coming from the DTI, CARP, and related College projects.  On the other hand, PROJECT TREE has developed self-reliant and sustainable livelihood models for rural development by integrating ecology protection and reforestation with the production of environment-friendly crops that can be vertically linked to promising home industries.

Northern Philippines Fruit and Vegetable Marketing and Development Project with the Cagayan Valley – Central Luzon – Cordillera Fruits & Vegetable Marketing & Development Cooperative (CACENCOR) for the establishment of:

Rural Trading Posts
Solano, Nueva Vizcaya
Bambang, Nueva Vizcaya
La Trinidad, Benguet
Cabanatuan City
San Fernando, Pampanga

Urban Wholesale Markets Metro-Manila
Integrated with Marketing, Financing and Organizational Development systems.

Ecology Conservation and Agro-forestry Development Project in the municipalities of Sta. Fe and Kasibu, Nueva Vizcaya with the Institute of Cultural Affairs: Japan. The expansion of citrus, exotic fruits, tiger grass, rattan, and coffee plantations are also being undertaken in various project areas.

In 1992, PROJECT TREE started with six Sub-Projects located in various places in  Nueva Vizcaya:

Sub-Proj. 01
Orchid/Cutflower & Dagwey Production (Sta. Fe)
attn: Sta. Fe Tribal Dev. Multipurpose Cooperative

Sub-Proj. 02
Tiger Grass Production & Broom Making (Sta. Fe)
attn: Barangay Atbu Tiger Grass Growers Cooperative

Sub-Proj. 03
Banana Reforestation & Luffa Production (Solano)
attn: Bannawag Grassroots Development Center, Inc.

Sub-Proj. 04
Sugarcane Production, Vinegar and Wine Making (Bagabag)
attn: Murong Multipurpose Cooperative

Sub-Proj. 05
Citrus & Rattan Production (Kasibu)
attn: Malabing Valley Multipurpose Cooperative

Sub-Proj. 06
Agricultural Marketing System (Bambang)
attn: Nueva Vizcaya Fruit & Vegetable Dev. Foundation

Sub-Project 02, i.e., Tiger Grass Production & Broom Making at Atbu, Sta. Fe won the 1995 D.E.N.R. LIKAS  YAMAN NATIONAL AWARD for MOST OUTSTANDING  SCHOOL  OUTREACH IN  ENVIRONMENT; while

Sub-Project 05, Citrus & Rattan Production at Malabing Valley, Kasibu, was a Regional winner and national finalist for 1996 in the same competition. These projects have been supported by the following agencies: Rotary Club (1990-91), Evangelische Zentralstelle fur Entvicklungshilfe of Germany (1993 to 1996), Department of Environment and Natural Resources (1997-98), and the Institute of Cultural Affairs: Japan (1999 – 2001).

On the other hand, Sub-Project 06, i.e., Agricultural Marketing System, has been evolved from a province-based direct marketing project for Metro-Manila into an inter-regional programme, i.e., Northern Philippines Fruit and Vegetable Marketing and Development Project, covering  Region 2, Region 3, Cordillera Administrative Region, and National Capital Region. This programme will establish integrated marketing, financing, organizational, and information technology support to a network of Rural Trading Posts and Urban Wholesale Centers. This is  funded by Gunther & Drake.

in 1997 ICA Japan funded the expansion of Tiger grass, and rattan production in Santa Fe, Nueva Vizcaya, Coffee production. In Malabing Valley, Kasibu, Nueva Vizcaya, Coffee plantation has been implemented as a strategy for protecting forest buffers of watershed areas in accordance with the “MUYONG System.”

Linkages

DENR

• Tiger Grass and Forest Products Development Project

ICA JAPAN

• Agroforestry for the Protection of Sanctuary Forest and Income Generation
  May 1999 – March 2000
• Philippines Technologies for Alternative Agriculture Income Generation
  January 2000 – March 2001
• Agroforestry for the Protection of Sanctuary Forest and Income Generation
  Philippines
  April 2001 – March 2002