A high-quality abaca fiber
Did you know that Aklan’s abaca, particularly in the town of
Likewise, 70 to 80 percent of the province’s abaca produce comes from the town.
These have been found in government studies, among those done by the Department of Agriculture-Fiber Industry Development Authority (DA-FIDA)-Region 6.
Now, expect Aklan’s abaca industry to perk up further in the coming years.
Auguring well for such an optimistic outlook is a government technology demonstration project that will showcase, through field demonstration, a package of technology (POT) for abaca production in Aklan, one of the four provinces that constitute
Programmed to be implemented starting this year, the project will determine if the POT will be productive and profitable enough to encourage farmers to expand and sustain an intensive abaca production.
To be studied under the project are at least five varieties of abaca planted and harvested in Libacao, namely: Tabukanon, Totoo, Bisaya, Negro, and Habayanon.
To underwrite the project is the DA-Bureau of Agricultural Research (BAR) headed by Director Nicomedes P. Eleazar.
Three barangays of indigenous peoples in Libacao (Manika, Oyang, and Dalagsaan) have been chosen as beneficiaries of the project, which is anticipating the commercialization of abaca production in the country in the coming years.
The project is an initiative of SATRE Development Foundation, Inc., a nonstock, nonprofit, nongovernment organization which BAR has entered into partnership with together with the local government units (LGUs) of Aklan.
The provincial government headed by Gov. Carlito Marquez and Libacao led by Mayor Charito Navarosa are supporting the project by providing counterpart funds.
Rica Cortes Rentzing, SATRE Foundation director and project leader, said, as reported by BAR’s Miko Jazmine Mojica: “The current situation is this: The farmers consider abaca as a tertiary crop since it as not planted systematically as it grows where is, as is. They only harvest abaca fiber when they need extra cash.”
The project will form abaca clusters in the three barangays by grouping 10 farmer-cooperators, two farmer-scientists, one farmer-entrepreneur, and one farmer-technician to supervise the technology demonstration farms. — Rudy A. Fernandez
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