ORGANIC FARMING (Swiss-Culion)

The scarcity of vegetables produced in Culion resulted in the importation of different kinds of vegetables from Manila and Mindoro.

The middlemen/traders control the inflow and pricing of the products, which left the vendors with no option but to give in to their self-imposed high pricing of commodities.
                 
The local vegetable farmers tend to follow suit with the middlemen's suggested retail     pricing in order to compensate their expensive style of farming like the excessive usage of pesticides, herbicides and synthetic farm products thinking it will lead them to good yield of harvest.
                   
It is a common practice to the vegetable traders to add chemicals to the harvested crops and vegetables in order to have  a  longer shelf life.  This unabated practice makes it unhealthy and very dangerous to the  health of consumers.

The traditional farming practice makes the soil so stressed that it becomes acidic.  As a consequence, it loses its nutritional values and its capacity of sustaining growth to produce good harvest and yields.

The foregoing premises prompted the proponent to return to the basics, which is the natural, organic and environment friendly farming.

Description:
The proposed project is determined to implement the Organic Farm System, by using pure organic farming methods and techniques, which will lead to rejuvenating the soil and helping recover its nutrients, thus, enhancing growth and development of vegetables and root crops.
               
The project shall introduce biofertilizer and soil conditioner named Full Harvest Microbial Inoculant and Full Harvest Root and Leaf Fertilizer. It is a solid-based microbial  plant growth promoting bacteria (PGPB). They are root associated bacteria, which influence root growth by producing plant hormones and provide nutrients in soluble form. It is a totally organic composting accelerant formulated to initiate and accelerate the fermentive decomposition of organic waste.  

The project site will be in the island municipality of Culion , located in the     northern group of Calamian Islands  in the province of Palawan.

Fishing is one of the main sources of livelihood  in the municipality. Others derive their income as employees of government offices like Local     Municipality Unit, Department of Health, Department of Education, Culture and Sports, other governmental organizations, non-governmental organizations, pearl farms, private island resort and hotels.
     
Agricultural farms are located in the central part of the island called Malaking Patag, a barangay comprised of different outlaying sitios/farms.  The rice farmers/vegetable growers rely on rain as their irrigation feed ( sahod ulan system ) since there is no proper irrigation system in the area. Therefore, they only harvest their produce once a year.

The proponent shall lend them a capital  of Five Thousand pesos only (P 5,000.00) for each interested farmer in the form of farm implements such as vegetable seedlings and fertilizers. Payment shall be made after the produce has been marketed. Proceeds from the sale of the produce will augment family income of the vegetable growers and be able to sustain their source of livelihood.

The project proponent shall assist them in marketing their produce by tapping the retirees and senior citizens of the community. He shall also tap  the out of school youth (OSY) to vend the vegetables around the community.  This way, the OSY will be busy  and eventually become responsible residents of Culion.

Once the income has been  stabilized and return of investment becomes more than sufficient, the farmers may opt to venture into other agri business such as hog raising, goat farming and poultry raising.  The proponent will assist in the technical aspect of the chosen agri-business expansion.

Objective:  
To help the farmers recover from the destruction of properties brought about by the super typhoon Yolanda and make them self reliant  through the implementation of organic farming procedures and system...

Functions and Responsibilities:

Project Leader – Responsible for the creation of project concepts, feasibility studies, strategies and Term of References.

Establishing linkages , internationally, in Metro Manila, in Culion and down to farming site areas.

Regular updates, reporting, communication pertaining to all project concerns. Lead the team for responsible working attitude, and develop them to become a more efficient service delivery oriented community workers.

Helping out the Culion Municipality to become self reliant, self sustaining island community, and develop the project recipient to become responsible citizen, and assist him in the creation of small scale livelihood projects which shall eventually augment his meager income.

Responsible for the overall planning and operations of the project.

Trophobiotic Agriculturist – Main responsible for the Organic farm system and procedures.

Development of farm assistants to become agricultural organic technicians to assist the vegetable growers in the proper ways of farming.

Conduct intensive trainings, on the spot demos and detailed transfer of technical know-how about the organic ways and systems.

Preparation of farm implementations and pre-growing seed germinations.

Shall do assigned tasks as the project needed.

Marketing and entrepreneurship Strategist – Responsible in the data gathering,monitoring,processing and coordination needed by the projects.

Responsible in the administration and record keeping aspects of the project.

Conduct series of meetings, seminars and trainings pertaining small scale livelihood projects and entrepreneurship.

Assist the Project Agriculturist in the site identification, and site preparation of every potential areas, in the early phases of the project.

Serve as project liason and will perform assigned tasks as the project needed.

Farm Technician Assistant – Responsible in the project monitoring in all areas covered by the project.

Worked under the direct supervision of the Project Agriculturist.

Assists in all projects, on site procedures, site demos, comprehensive farmer's trainings.

Shall be responsible during the absence of the Project Agriculturist.

Assist the marketing strategist in the weekly gathering of vegetable prices and the availability of produce.

Shall perform any assigned task in relation with the project.


Note :

All the staff and project workers are as volunteer basis and shall not received any compensation or wages from the project. Operating expenses such as travels, board and accommodations of the Manila based volunteers,community meetings,and local travels such as project monitoring, however shall be charged as administration cost overhead.

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Prepared by:
MR. GUILLERMO C. MARQUEZ, JR.
Swiss-Culion Connexion,Team Leader

Project Proponent

Approved by:

MR. MARCEL HERZOG 

Representative, Swiss Donors
Bern, Switzerland