Philippine Coconut Authority Administrator Euclides G. Forbes has announced that the Department of Agriculture has allotted P60 million for 2012 for the implementation of PCA's "Kasaganaan sa Niyugan ay Kaunlaran ng Bayan" (KAANIB) Project, a sustainable livelihood program for the coconut farming communities.

According to PCA, an additional 72 sites will be established for 2012. Already, 10 project sites have been established in 2010 when the project was started, benefitting a total of 2,524 community-based organization members. "We are expecting that this project will influence other coconut farmers and will make them adopt and replicate the KAANIB farm coconut-based integrated farming system," Administrator Forbes said.

He added that a budget amounting to P8.5 million was allotted in 2010 to the project which has four components: coconut planting and replanting; coconut fertilization, intercropping and livestock integration; and community/farm-level processing and marketing of high-valued products. KAANIB Project was able to establish seven seednut nurseries with a total of 55,400 seednuts sown in Regions IV-A, IV-B, V, VI, VII, R VIII and XII.

In coordination with the Livestock Development Council (LDC) and the Department of Agriculture - Regional Field Units (DA-RFUs), a total of 27 carabaos were distributed in Regions IV-A, VII, VIII and IX; 36 cattle in Regions IV-A, IV-B, V, VII, IX and X; 324 ducks in Regions VII and XI; 179 heads of goat in Regions IV-B, VII, VIII,IX, X and XII; 15 heads of swine in Regions V and VII; and 484 heads of native chicken in Regions VI,VII and XII. This is to increase the production of livestock and poultry in the specified regions.

In Region VII, processing of coconuts into bio-organic fertilizer, coir-based planter, coco sap vinegar and coconet was done. A plant for processing coconut husk and shell and five units of equipment were established in Region V. As an integral part of this activity, Good Manufacturing Practices and Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (GMP/HACCP) techniques and standards were vigorously pursued to cope with the quality standards acceptable to domestic and international markets.

He also explained that the implementation of KAANIB Project is targeted within the 6-year period covering 2011-2016. Each of the KAANIB site shall undergo a three-year project development cycle after it shall be subjected to ex-post evaluation to determine its impact and degree of sustainability.

Administrator Forbes lauded that the KAANIB Project will help augment the income of the family. Apart from this, the farm family labor is expected to be maximized thus, providing jobs for the family and promoting rural employment as well.

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