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Archives
June 1-15, 2000
Tree crop project conducts targets rural
smallholders
by Rita T. dela Cruz
The tree crop sector of the Philippines
displays strong potential to become highly competitive
and diversified. If developed, this sector may contribute
significantly to the country's rural economy.
This was revealed by a study on the tree
crop sector published by the World Bank. Encouraged
by the funding, teh Deaprtment of Agriculture embarked
on a validation of the study. An interagency technical
working group was formed by the DA to develop a concept
paper that factors in a program package on tree crops.
This paper calls for the creation of theSmallholder
Tree Crop Developemnt and Diversification Project (STCDDP).
Generally, the objective of the STCDDP is to assist
the government to formulate sound operational policies
and strategies applicable in a rural development and
farming systems network. These policies and strategies
will further develop the country's potential in tree
crop production, marketing and processing. These strategies
involve the participation of smallholders and devising
ways to increase their incomes and generate employment
by promoting crop diversification. The tree crop project
has the following specific objectives:
- raise rural incomes by promoting highly
profitable tree crops within diversified farming systems,
with teh long-term aim of developing a population of
self-sustaining farmers owning income-generating assets;
- alleviate poverty by targeting CARP beneficiaries, upland
communities and othe rsmall farmers;
- accelerate private investment in agro-industries, small-
and medium-scale business, rpivate organizations and
producers associations through the promotion of highly
competitive agribusiness;
- contribute towards agricultural and overall economic
growth by increasinglong-term output, value-added and
exports of products with which the Philippines has the
comparative advantage;
- increase tree coverage, with direct benefits to downstream
lowland areas (through improved water productivity for
irrigation), and;
- contribute to the conservation and rehabilitation of
the environment.
This is a convergence project of teh DA,
the Department of Environment and Natural Resources
(DENR), and the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR).
This project promotes strong participation of the private
sector and farmer groups, with th NGA providing the
necessary technical assistance.
After a series of meetings, the concept
paper was submitted to DA Undersecretary Domingo F.
Panganiban who in turn endorsed it to the DA Secretary.
On 15 December 1999, Secretary Angara formally endorsed
the paper to the National Economic and Development Authority
(NEDA) and the Wb for funding. Since the project is
not in the list of priorities of the DA submitted to
NEDA for the year 2000, the condition was to implement
the project by phase.
During the pilot phase, proposed project
components are tested on a limited scale using the existing
DA budget, under the High-Value Comercial Crops or HVCC.
Three committees were created - teh Project
Steering Committe headed by Undersecretary Panganiban,
the Project Coordinating Unit chaired by Asst. Sec.
Edmund Sana, and the Project Management Unit headed
by Mr. Rudy Guieb of Field Operations.
A P15.2-million budget was estimated for
the first phase of the project. The said budget shall
cover the procurement of input (P2.2M), trainings/meetings
(P1M), monitoring, supplies and inputs (P7.4M), support
to R&D (P2.1M), marketing assistance (P0.5M), and
the project preparation and evaluation (P2M).
Coconut was identified as the priority
tree crop. It will be piloted in teh 4th quarter of
this year. Tree crops that are identified to be intercropped
with coconut are citrus, banana, papaya, pineapple,
coffee, cacao, lanzones, rambutan, durian, guava, soursop,
jackfruit, mahogany, and gmelina. 
June 1-15 2000 Articles: ::
Million-peso project to boost corn industry
::
RP-Thailand sign agri research MOU
::
BAR named lead institution of NARS forum
::
Rice sequencing project yields breakthrough
::
Tree crop project conducts targets rural smallholders
::: More June 2000 articles :::
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