PCA program helps coco farmers earn more

MAITUM, Sarangani – Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) Administrator Jesus Emmanuel Paras and other PCA officials visited recently the farmer beneficiaries of the PCA – International Coconut Genetic Resources Network (Cogent) Poverty Alleviation project in this town.

With the help of the PCA-Cogent project, the farmers learned the various areas of income generating activities and were able to hone their managerial and marketing prowess. Paras, in consultation with the coconut farmers, validated a report that PCA-led project has made significant contributions in reducing poverty and improving the lives of the coconut farmer-beneficiaries.

With the technology, financial support, capability building and skills training component of the project, coconut farmers have acquired the confidence and competence to perform the tasks of managing medium-scale enterprise and livelihood projects including microcredit system with the coconut and its by-products at the core of their community-based and people-centered business activities.

This PCA-COGENT partnership, initially funded by the Asian Development Bank (ADB), aims to link plant genetic conservation and poverty reduction in coconut growing communities. This partnership has adopted a three pronged approach which includes:

1) Increase coconut yields by three to five times through the inroduction of high-yielding and high-value coconut varieties;

2) Increase income by five to 10 times by producing high-value products from all parts of the coconut, and;

3) Increase farm productivity by three to five times through intercropping, livestock and fodder production. This approach is based on sustaining livelihood capitals and building up assets of the poor to reduce poverty.