The activities include site selection, selection and training of enumerators, baseline survey of farmers (pre-test of questionnaires, holding of focus group discussions and conducting key informant interviews), compiling of datasets and germplasm selection and introduction.
For the site selection activity, the team travelled to 5 provinces: NCR, Laguna, Cavite, Quezon and Oriental Mindoro. Within Oriental Mindoro, the team travelled to various municipalities to interview farmers: Calapan, Socorro, Bongabong, Baco, and San Teodoro.
The team interviewed additional 38 respondents in Oriental Mindoro comprising backyard, large-scale, and indigenous farmers. For focus group discussions (FGD), that has been postponed due to the pandemic situation.where gatherings are not allowed.
For the key informant interviews, the team interviewed Drytech Manufacturing Corporation (SheenTaro) in Oriental Mindoro. The company exports quality dried taro leaves to its partner-establishments abroad. Permission has been sought with other stakeholders to conduct interviews with them (research and government institutions)