ILOILO City – The Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) has rolled out its incentivized projects to help economically displaced coconut farmers in Western Visayas due to coronavirus disease (COVID-19) crisis.
PCA Western Visayas manager Jeffrey de Los Reyes an initial 2, 600 coconut farmers can choose one of the three incentivized projects under the Ahon Lahat, Pagkaing Sapat Kontra COVID-19 of the Department of Agriculture.
The projects will include crop diversification, participatory coconut planting (PCP), and fertilization.
He said they intend to start the program in July as they are preparing their project plans.
“It is only one project per beneficiary under this COVID-19 program,” he said in an interview.
The beneficiaries need to enroll for the project to allow the PCA to monitor what is happening on the ground.
Under the crop diversification, banana and potato intercropping are involved. The beneficiary who opts to engage in banana intercrop is entitled to a maximum of one hectare for 200 suckers or 18,000 cuttings of sweet potato cuttings.
The intercrop will be subjected to inspection before a farmer can get the P5,000 incentive.
Recipients of the PCP, on the other hand, have to produce own seedlings to be paid P40 each. Another P45 incentive per seedling will be given four months after it is planted.
“We will reward them because they have sacrificed their immediate income because they opted to let them grow instead of selling them in the market. They have to be rewarded because they grow coconuts for their generation and the next generation,” he said.
Farmers have to secure their planting materials as they are also given leeway to choose the varieties they would like to plant.
Under the incentivized fertilization program, the beneficiary will be provided with fertilizers with an incentive of P2,500 per hectare for them to “religiously apply” fertilizer to their coconut farm.
The diversification project is also eyeing animal integration such as small ruminants and chicken but not part of the immediate intervention.
De Los Reyes said those who were unable to avail of the immediate projects can still enroll because these immediate interventions are part of the PCA’s regular program.
“If they could not make it under the COVID-19, they can still enroll to be lined up for 2021,” he said.
The three others have funds allocation of around P20 million.
Delos Reyes added they also coordinated with the Department of Social Welfare and Development to make sure that there is no duplication of COVID-19 assistance. (Philippine News Agency/PN)
