How improved access to farming inputs, information and business knowledge can extend the benefits of the recently concluded MinCARES project
Typhoon Bopha devastated many families in 2012, but the nine-month project, Mindanao Cacao Agro-forestry for Resiliency, Empowerment and Sustainability (MinCARES), aimed to assist 930 of those families by helping them regain their source of livelihood through the adoption of cacao-based diversified farming. The project was successfully implemented and was concluded last September 2014. However, despite the significant achievements and positive benefits contributed by MinCARES to the recipient families, CIDAMi admits that much remains to be done. In order to ensure that these benefits are not endangered by factors such as low productivity and profitability, CIDAMi is conducting a three-year follow-up project in partnership with the Lutheran World Relief (LWR) called the Cacao Farming Enterprise Advancement for Sustainability and Trade (Cacao FEAST).
What is the Cacao FEAST all about?
The Cacao Feast replicates the best practices learned during MinCARES, but places an emphasis on improved sustainability of cacao smallholder farming as a business enterprise as well as increased reach to more recipient farmers. The project is aimed towards 400 cacao farmers from the MinCARES project and an additional 600 farmers who may have aged and unproductive cacao trees, totaling to 1000 farmers. Currently, the beneficiaries are located in different areas in the Davao Region, particularly in Mati, Tarragona, Manay and Caraga in Davao Oriental, Paquibato District, and Barangay Megkawayan, Sitio Cabonbon and Sitio KTC in Malabog, Davao City.
The objectives of the Cacao Feast are: first, to address low productivity through increased farmers’ access to improved production inputs and cacao farming practices; second, to improve success as a cacao business enterprise through farmers’ organization into collective groups where they can learn from each other, improved access to cacao information; and third, to improve farmers’ motivation and interest in business enterprise and their technical business skills.
What are its achievements so far?
For its first year spanning October 2014 to September 2015, the Cacao FEAST has successfully put many milestones in place.
1. Access to improved farming inputs and practices
There are already two established budwood gardens in Paquibato Distrtict, Davao City and Davao Oriental. Training for the propagation of grafted cacao seedlings was also conducted on 18 farmers, who eventually became trainers to other farmers from their respective areas. This activity effectively led to the individual seedling production to be planted in their respective farms. The sixteen farmers who had undergone this training have already cascaded their knowledge and skills on how to properly propagate the cacao seedlings to 858 farmers, reports CIDAMi Executive Director, Mr. Val Turtur. Further, 12 out of the 16 trained farmers already have one-month old grown up seedlings in their nursery with average 300 seedlings each. According to Mr. Turtur, a total of 252,400 bags, 100 budding knives, 100 pruning shears were distributed to the farmers who had undergone the trainings on propagation of grafted cacao seedlings. Mr. Turtur adds that the remaining tools shall be distributed to the beneficiaries once their seedlings are grown.
2. Improved access to information
One of the problems that farmers address is how difficult it is to access basic information that could assist their daily cacao farming activities. To address this, CIDAMi has put in place an automated SMS system where farmers can text their queries using keywords, which will prompt an automated response. This SMS system is called Kakao Konek.
Since mobile phones and texting are the easiest and most prevalent way to communicate with farmers who reside in far-flung areas, Kakao Konek is expected to provide them with meaningful and timely help. This service is aimed at providing real-time and updated farming information about market prices, planting techniques, farming practices and other related details. Stakeholders in the cacao industry can freely try the SMS automated service using a few keywords that are open to the public, and subscribe to the service to access information using programmed keywords.
3. Enhanced business perspective through the Household Development Approach
Developed by CIDAMi Consultant, Ervin B. More, the Household Development Approach (HHDA) assumes that the household is the first learning institution and the smallest unit of economy and government. It is aimed at working with possible core issues at the household level to strengthen family or home structures and ensure the sustainability of programs such as the Cacao FEAST. HHDA orientation was successfully conducted to over 100 farmer leaders in the Paquibato District community last February 24 to 25, 2015 and in Davao Oriental last March 4 to 5, 2015.
HHDA begins by scanning the household environment and facilitating members in discovering any existing core issues and setting objectives to address these. This activity includes identifying the household’s income and expenditure levels and planning economic adjustments, household management and eventually farming techniques. It is a holistic approach teaching the farmer not only by introducing farming technology related to cacao but changing the perception of the farmer towards their farming attitude, explains Mr. Turtur. He admits that there are challenges to the introduction of HHDA among farmer beneficiary households. There’s still difficulty for some farmers in adapting the HHDA since farmers are not used to doing recordkeeping and conducting formal meetings within their household members. They felt awkward, reports Mr. Turtur.
However, HHDA is making an increasingly positive impact on the farmers. A good example of HHDA is one farmer from Tagbobolo, Brgy. Sainz, Mati, Davao Oriental who gave a testimony to his cell group, or small group of farmer beneficiaries, of how he used to spend most of his income on vices. He used to find sleeping difficult without taking alcoholic drinks. Because HHDA was introduced to them, he realized his shortcomings and decided to change his ways. The immediate result was he now spends more on basic needs. He is also a renewed person and has decided not to be alcoholic anymore, observes Mr. Turtur.
With improved access to farming inputs and practices, better accessibility to information through SMS messaging and enhanced perspective on business, the Cacao FEAST in on track for its first year. The project has two more years to build upon the gains from the MinCARES and achieve more the sustainability and profitability of cacao 1,000 cacao farmers and their indirect beneficiaries.