(P1 B para sa hybrid coconut seed farms at nursery) PRODUKSIYON NG NIYOG PALALAGUIN

DAHIL sa “matatandang” puno ng niyog na may bungang 40 nuts kada puno sa isang taon, isinusulong ni Senadora Cynthia Villar na madagdagan ang produksiyon ng niyog.

Iginiit ni Villar, chairperson ng Senate agriculture and food committee na mas maraming niyog ang mae-export natin kapag tumaas ang produksiyon nito.

Upang makamit ang adhikaing ito, sinabi ng senadora na naglaan ng P1 billion sa pagpapaunlad ng hybrid coconut seed farms at nur­sery para sa pagtatanim at replanting.

Ipatutupad ito ng Phi­lippine Coconut Authority at Department of Science and Technology – Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development (DOST-PCAARRD).

“With hybrid coconuts, we are expecting 150 nuts per tree annual­ly. Surely, increased production together with other support in the form of training, insurance provision, crop diversification, research and product marketing, credit facilities, organization empowerment, infrastructure development, scholarship, and health and medical assistance will break our coconut farmers and their family from poverty,” paliwanag ni Villar sa idinaos na Philippine Coconut Authority’s “Co­co-Kwentuhan sa Ne­gosyo” sa pagdiriwang ng Coco Month.

Binanggit din niya na kailangan ang patuloy na edukasyon at pagpapalawig sa kaalaman sa mga bagong teknolohiya sa production at post-production ng niyog.

“Despite the continuing pandemic which has affected all our lives, we still have many things to celebrate. And among which is the milestone of the pas­sing into law the Coconut Industry Trust Fund Act, or RA 11524,” sabi pa ni Villar.

Binigyan diin pa na napakahalaga ng pagsasabatas nito upang makamit ang adhikaing maiangat ang kabuha­yan ng may 3.5 Million coconut farmers.

“The coconut trust fund belongs to our coconut farmers and their families. With provision of scholarship for our coconut farmers and their children, an annual allocation of 8% and 10% for health and medical programs on top of Philhealth cove­rage, I am confident this will improve the quality of lives of our coconut farmers,” dagdag pa niya.

Dahil sa Coconut Industry Trust Fund Act, umaasa ang senadora na mareresolba ang maraming isyu na hadlang sa lubusang pag-unlad ng industriya ng niyog.

Mabibigyan ng Coconut Industry Trust Fund Act ang Coconut Farmers and Industry Development Plan ng direksiyon ang pamahalaan para sa karagdagang kita, pag-angat mula sa kahirapan at pagkakapantay-pantay sa hanay ng magsasaka ng niyog.

“I am taking this opportunity to call partners of the coconut farmers in the government to exert all possible energy in ensuring that the set goal for our coconut farmers is achieved,” anang senadora.

Tinatawag na ‘tree of life’ang niyog na si­yang pangunahing ini-export ng bansa at nag-aambag ito ng 3.6% gross value sa agrikultura ng Pilipinas.

Base sa pag-aaral ng United Nation, ang mono cropping ang isang dahilan sa magandang ‘performance’ ng agrikultura sa bansa.

“And this is something that is remedied under the law. I proposed, and fortunately found support from the other senators, that we actively encou­rage and promote crop diversification,”ani Villar.

“As such, 10% of the annual allocation is identified for improving coconut farms through diversification and/ or intercropping with livestock, dairy, poultry, coffee, and cacao to be jointly implemented by our Department of Agriculture’s High Value Crops Development Program, National Dairy Authority and the Department of Agriculture’s Bureau of Animal Industry. 4% annual allocation for insurance would complement the intended goal of increased production of our coconut farmers. Insurance provision would help our farmers by gi­ving them peace of mind as they face the different risk in the agricultural sector,” dagdag pa nito.

Suportado rin ng batas na may nakalaang 8% ng budget ang patuloy na edukasyon at pagkuha ng kaalaman sa production at post-production ng niyog na ipinatutupad ng TESDA at Agriculture Training Institute (ATI). VICKY CERVALES