ALFONSO LISTA, Ifugao – “One of the strengths of a cooperative is the good working relationship between and among the officers and members. And one of the strengths in managing a cooperative is knowing how to prioritize urgent matters as they arise,” shared Shirly D. Atluna, manager of the Saranay Community Multi-purpose Cooperative (SCMPC) based in Alfonso Lista, Ifugao.
SCMPC stands as the only corn consolidator for farmer cooperatives and associations in this province, focusing primarily on corn consolidation. Through the Department of Agriculture’s Farm and Fisheries Clustering and Consolidation (F2C2) Program, the cooperative has been empowered and strengthened in its mission to provide quality products and services to its members and the broader community and to pursue its vision of becoming a successful and sustainable cooperative.
Founded in 1993 with only 32 members, SCMPC formally became a cooperative in 1994. Today, it has grown to 773 active members with 317 men and 456 women, primarily corn farmers from Alfonso Lista, and some from the nearby municipality of Aguinaldo.
According to Atluna, the core mission of SCMPC is to empower corn farmers by purchasing their produce at fair and competitive prices. In the past, financiers often controlled the supply of farming inputs and dictated the buying price of the harvest, leaving farmers with limited options and minimal profit. SCMPC stepped in to break this cycle, giving farmers greater control over their earnings and ensuring a more sustainable livelihood. Member-farmers also stand to gain more through patronage refunds when they choose to sell their produce directly to the cooperative.
The road, however, hasn’t been easy. In 2005, the cooperative was forced to cease operations due to challenges they couldn’t immediately overcome. But in 2015, thanks to the initiative of Atluna’s mother and a renewed sense of purpose, the cooperative was revived. From its original focus on lending, SCMPC has since expanded into equipment and machine rentals, as well as lodging and hall rentals.
With support from the Department of Agriculture- Cordillera Administrative Region, the cooperative received various equipment and infrastructure, including a 4-wheel drive tractor, hammer mill, cassava pulverizer, combine harvester, pump and engine set, trailer truck, and warehouse.
“Because of these interventions, we were encouraged to reclaim a piece of property that was once taken from us. We needed a proper area to store all this equipment. Before, our office was just a small space at the public market. So we did our best to acquire a place that meets our growing needs,” Atluna recounted.
Today, SCMPC markets corn products to institutional buyers in Batangas, Rizal, Bulacan, and Isabela. With continued coordination through DA-CAR, they regularly engage in meetings to build connections with even more institutional buyers, ensuring a broader and more stable market.
Their sense of purpose goes beyond business. SCMPC fulfills its social responsibility through a range of initiatives: financial and medical assistance, feeding programs, provision of street lights in remote areas, and free training programs on financial literacy, bookkeeping, and leadership, among others.
Municipal Agriculturist Eugenio M. Culimay, Jr. attested to SCMPC’s strong sense of responsibility and cooperation. “We support them because we can see their eagerness and commitment to the economic development and upliftment of farmers and the entire community,” he said.
The SCMPC is a living example of the saying: “Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.” Through unity, resilience, and unwavering service, they have cultivated not only crops, but also hope and opportunity for their members. By Leny D. Mendoza
