Benguet coffee growers cited for enviro-friendly practices

Tublay, Benguet, Philippines – Shedding its marijuana plantation lair stigma, coffee plantations in Benguet  have gone positive.

US-based firm Montañosa LLC-USA has named Tublay town in Benguet as trial site for the reward of environmental services they provided after recognizing  the role of the town’s coffee growers in the conservation of biodiversity, soil and water resources,  and carbon sequestration in the province.

According to Montañosa LLC-USA representative Domini Mariano,  growing coffee and other fruit tree vegetation within the farms and backyards of farmers helps rehabilitate natural resources.

It also mitigates climate change through carbon sequestration.

Cordillera coffee growers are known for their organic agro-forestry practices and their involvement in watershed rehabilitation and protection.

“These environmental services must be rewarded to farmers and payments will be given in kind like coffee seedlings, assistance, trainings, or other incentives. Also, the coffee products go to the farmers,” Mariano said.

He added, “Aside from protecting the environment, this reward scheme also seeks to increase the annual income of a farmer, promote volunteerism, and teamwork.”  

Payment of environmental services is now an emerging scheme in an agro-forestry development program in the country.

The payment scheme was tested earlier in Kalahan, Nueva Viscaya and in Bakun, Benguet.

The Environment department is backing the project and encourages farmers to grow coffee in their backyards or establish coffee plantations.

Government forester Imelda Casiwan said DENR has incorporated the establishment of coffee plantation under the National Greening Program.  

The DENR also supports people’s organization involved in coffee plantation.

DENR-CAR has established a coffee plantation of 1,123 hectares in Benguet since 2011, expecting to double to 2,891 hectares the coffee plantation in the region this year.