A learning exchange meeting among Agricord-member agri-agencies, namely: Trias, Agriterra, Swedish Cooperative Center (SCC), Collectif Stratégies Alimentaires (CSA) and AsiaDHRRA, all working in the Philippines and Southeast Asia was held last 5-6 November 2012 at Fersal Place Hotel in Quezon City, Philippines.
The learning exchange meeting was an opportunity for Agricord members to interact instructive of their reflection processes and on how their respective work have impacted the four areas of FFP framework, and AgriCord’s mission, as a whole.
The meeting was initially discussed May 2011 of last year during Agricord’s General Assembly of Agricord members that noted, among others, the importance of creating synergies and complementarities among the agri-agency (AA) members.  Recognizing the diversity among them,  it was pointed out that  a greater understanding and respect of the contribution of each member will pave the way for stronger impact as a network.  This observation was affirmed by the delegates to the GA who agreed to try out closer institutional cooperation between and among them in the nearest future.
The call for intra-agency cooperation was again pointed out by the members in their sharing during the May 2012 Board Meeting and General Assembly.  The need for sharing of information and exchanges on strategies and tools of work was cited as an example.  Others pointed out practical reasons to cooperate to streamline administrative costs such as by sharing offices or facilities where needed and possible. There were also the sharing of on-going efforts to work with one or two fellow AA and the interest of those involved to sustain and even expand the approach.
It was in the last General Assembly in September of this year that a concrete call to jump-start  the  process of working together.  The Swedish Cooperative Centre (SCC) in particular suggested that, as a pilot initiative of  AgriCord, the AAs working in the Philippines should conduct a reflection session cum learning exchange based on their past and on-going  project cooperation in the country,  and from this reflection process develop new ways of cooperating that will create more impact, not only for the individual agri-agency, but for AgriCord network as a whole.
At the end of the meeting, the five (5) agri-agencies agreed to converge, develop synergies and pursue a concrete priority activities for 2013.  AsiaDHRRA was tasked to take lead in convening the process, and formed a working group composed of Philippine- based agri-agencies.