VISAYAS State University expanded its international engagement as one of its officials represented the Philippines in the Asian Productivity Organization’s Multi-country Observational Study Mission on Productivity Gainsharing in Agriculture, recently held in Ilam, Nepal.

Faculty of Management and Economics Dean Dr. Mark Ratilla was one of only five Filipino delegates in the mission, which gathered participants from various APO member countries to examine how agricultural productivity improvements can be shared equitably with farmers and workers.

The study mission introduced productivity gainsharing as a performance-based approach, where gains from higher efficiency and cost savings are distributed between enterprises and their members, fostering cooperation, trust, and innovation in farming communities.

Participants observed how farmer cooperatives in Ilam, particularly in the tea and dairy sectors, successfully applied gainsharing by pooling production, investing in processing facilities, and accessing premium domestic and international markets.

The delegation also learned from diversified livelihood strategies, including agritourism, homestays, and organized cardamom production, alongside the Market Systems Development approach, which treats farmers as partners in value-driven enterprises.

Dr. Ratilla said insights from the mission will be integrated into VSU’s teaching, research, and extension programs, particularly in agribusiness education and the promotion of inclusive, sustainable rural livelihoods.