Coconut farmers can earn more by diversifying income sources and creating value-added coconut products, the Bureau of Agricultural Research (BAR) and the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) said.

In the "Coconut-based Product Diversification to Reduce Poverty in Coconut-Growing Communities in Selected Areas," the PCA Supervising Science Researcher Erlene Manohar said the agencies target developing innovative and relevant local technologies that highlight the different parts of the coconut tree, namely, the kernel, shell, husks, water, sap, wood and leaves.

"Each part provides an alternative livelihood to farmers to augment their unstable production and insufficient income from basic coconut farming," said project head Ms. Manohar.

The BAR-funded project is being implemented by the PCA through the International Coconut Genetic Resources Network of the Biodiversity International.

Based on the agencies’ research, coconut farmers rely on copra production.

But after four years of project facilitation and coordination, the PCA expanded and conducted product diversification from coconut wine (lambanog), coconut sap sugar, organic fertilizer and mats made of coco coir to control soil erosion in some denuded and eroded areas of the country.

The coconut products passed extensive tests and processes needed in product quality, standards and operating procedures, the PCA said.

Given the assurance of quality, the coconut-based products are ready for technology commercialization to increase coconut farmers’ productivity and profitability.

Furthermore, the PCA has improved the existing coconut-based cropping system of farming communities.

Farmers are encouraged to use the land between coconut trees to raise goats and chickens or plant cash crops like vegetables, root crops and corn.

"Through these, the farmers are expected further to be socially motivated and economically stable to improve their living condition with the entry of these new coconut technologies that made a difference in the livelihoods of resource-poor coconut communities," the PCA said.

Output of coconut, which accounts for 5.44% of total farm output, rose by 2.2% last year to 15.656 million metric tons valued at P23.798 billion as farms "continued recovery from the devastating effects of previous typhoons and the PCA’s intervention through salt-fertilization," data from the Bureau of Agricultural Statistics show.

Industry data showed that about 15 million Filipinos directly and indirectly earn a living from coconut planting.

Source: http://www.bworldonline.com/main/content.php?id=5287