Farmers from vulnerable coconut communities in the country will soon be empowered with knowledge on climate-resilient and regenerative coconut-based farming systems (CRR-CBFS). A completed capacity building project has trained 78 core trainers in the national and regional training of trainers as well as 36 coconut farmers from Majayjay, Laguna.
These trainers were equipped to design and implement location-specific farmer field school (FFS) curriculum on climate-resilient and regenerative coconut-based farming systems (CRR-CBFS).
The completed project, headed by Ms. Dara Maria F. Realin of the Institute of Crop Science, College of Agriculture and Food Science of the University of the Philippines Los Baños (ICropS-CAFS, UPLB), focused on capacitating core trainers from the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA).
The Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST-PCAARRD) supported this project through the Coconut Farmers and Industry Development Plan (CFIDP) Coconut Hybridization Program (CHP) Research.
During the terminal review conducted by DOST-PCAARRD, the team highlighted the development and distribution of two facilitator’s guides for the national and regional Training of Trainers (ToT) on CRR-CBFS. They have trained 78 core trainers in the national and regional ToTs and involved 36 CBFS farmers from Majayjay, Laguna, for the experiential learning activity in the national ToT. Significantly, they have secured the commitments of the Agricultural Training Institute (ATI) Region IV-A and VII for the training rollout in the region. The plans for the offshoot initiative of this TOT project were also finalized during the review.
Meanwhile, another UPLB project, led by Dr. Emmanuel L. Bernardo, aims to develop a micropropagation technology tailored to Philippine coconut palms. This initiative addresses the increasing need for quality coconut planting materials to support the government’s nationwide planting and replanting program aimed at revitalizing and strengthening the Philippine coconut industry.
Mr. Bibiano C. Concibido, Jr., Regional Manager III of PCA Region IV-A, expressed his support for the two projects. He also looks forward to more research proposals that directly address the region's current productivity issues.
The terminal review and inception meeting for the project was spearheaded by Deputy Executive Director for Research and Development Juanito T. Batalon, together with Crops Research Division (CRD) Director Leilani D. Pelegrina and Industry Strategic S&T Program (ISP) Manager for Coconut Alissa Carol M. Ibarra. It was attended by UPLB ICropS Deputy Director Dr. Mylene C. Nieves, PCA-Zamboanga Research Center Acting Department Manager III Liberty Canja, DOST Region IV-A representative Mr. Charles Andrew M. Reyes, and Science and Technology (S&T) Consultant Virgilio T. Villancio. Also present were key DOST-PCAARRD staff members from CRD and the Finance and Administrative Division (FAD).