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Archives
Sep 1-30, 2003
Crossing boundaries to save indigenous crops
by Junelyn S. de la Rosa
 A
new project to conserve indigenous crops in the country
has rekindled interest in saving precious flora native
to the country. Entitled “Sustainable conservation
and utilization of Philippine indigenous crops and wild
relatives”, the project aims to preserve cultivated
and wild varieties of banana, abaca, rootcrops and vegetables
and encourage indigenous groups and local communities
to participate in the efforts.
The Philippines ranks fourth in
the world in terms of the number and kinds of endemic
species based on a survey by the International Union
for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) making it a rich
repository of genetic resources. Of its 39,100 species
of flora and fauna, 67% are endemic that means that
these species can be found only in the Philippines.
However, some of these species are at risk of becoming
extinct in the near future.
Urbanization, land use, increasing
population, natural calamities, pests and diseases,
and overexploitation are some factors pushing these
important resources to the brink of extinction.
With this project, important crops
and their wild varieties can be utilized and sustained
in their natural environments (in situ) such as wild
varieties of the cultivated banana- Musa acuminata and
Musa balbisiana and three ornamental species (M. occinea,
M. ornata, and M. velutina) found in Palawan, Ilocos
Norte, Albay, and South Cotabato and some indigenous
vegetables and rootcrops in La Union, Ilocos Norte,
and Bohol.
Preserving abaca or Manila hemp
is also critical not only because it is another top
dollar earner but because “ tinalak” and
“sinamay” (two types of woven fabric made
of abaca fibers and decorated with unique ethnic designs)
are important if not the main sources of livelihood
for some indigenous communities in Aklan and Ilo-ilo.
To ensure the success of the project,
it will seek the active participation of local government
units, indigenous communities, farmers, traditional
healers, tenured migrants, and women in managing the
conservation sites.
This project is a collaboration
of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) which
is the GEF implementing agency, the Bureau of Agricultural
Research of the Department of Agriculture (DA-BAR),
the Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI), the Philippine National
Network on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture
with its 25 member research institutions, the regional
Integrated Agricultural Research Centers (RIARCs) and
their provincial Research Outreach Stations (ROS) and
the Department of Environment and Natural Resources
(DENR). 
September 1-30 2003 Articles:
:: RP, IRRI hold workplan meeting
:: DA establishes DAGISNet; BAR technical adviser present potential
:: Dr. Solsoloy represents BAR in citrus forum
:: Functional foods seminar held
:: Crossing boundaries to save indigenous crops
:: Healthy oil?
:: Coconut flour form sapal; cheap and nutritious
:: BAR holds AFRDIS joint review meeting
::: More September 2003 articles :::
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