DA allots P1.2 B for ancestral lands development

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Agriculture (DA) is allocating P1.2 billion this year for the transformation and development of ancestral lands into food production areas as part of the government’s efforts to lift indigenous people from poverty.

Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol said President Duterte had already approved the masterplan which will convert thousands of hectares of ancestral domains, specifically in Mindanao, into tree farms with profitable crops such as cacao, coffee, abaca and black pepper.

The program, Kabuhayan At Kaunlaran ng Kababayang Katutubo (4Ks) will be offered to IP communities and will include coconut farming, intercrop farming, dairy farming, and poultry and livestock.

The program will be a collaborative effort among the DA, Office of the President, National Commission on the Indigenous People, and the departments of Environment and Natural Resources, Agrarian Reform, Social Welfare and Development and Trade and Industry.

“Funding for these projects may initially come from DA’s 2018 budget for high value crops and livestock. Additional funding may also be included in the 2019 and succeeding budgets,” Piñol said.

The department is targeting an initial area of 100,000 hectares to be participated by 20,000 families. Program implementation will start in the second quarter.

According to Piñol, each family in the ancestral domain will be asked to identify a five-hectare area that will serve as a tree farm.

“Through the Agricultural Credit Policy Council, the DA will implement a no-interest, no-collateral, pay-upon-harvest loan program amounting to P300,000 for five hectares of tree farm with a 500-tree population per hectare,” Piñol said.

“The loan will be released on a monthly basis at P5,000 per month based on the assumption that the 4K family will ensure that all 500 trees are growing and they will be given a monthly maintenance incentive of P2 per tree,” he added.

Under the program, 50 million trees will be planted in unproductive agricultural areas. This will increase production of crops particularly coffee, cacao, abaca and black pepper.

The DA will start consultations with the IP communities this month. Four communities in four regions of Mindanao will serve as the pilot areas.

It will also focus on the Aetas of Zambales, Dumagats of Sierra Madre, Mangyans of Mindoro, Ati of Panay and other tribal groups in the Cordillera, Cagayan Valley and Palawan.