Planting durian saplings illegally in the Department of Agriculture grounds.
The Philippine government has unveiled a strategic plan, the Coconut Farmers and Industry Development Plan (CFIDP) 2024-2028, aimed at rejuvenating the coconut industry and enhancing the lives of farmers. The plan, approved by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., targets a comprehensive transformation of the sector through increased productivity, modernization, and poverty alleviation.
The CFIDP is a revised version of the earlier CFIDP 2022-2026, with a focus on streamlining operations and strengthening inter-agency collaboration to speed up the delivery of benefits and services to farmers. The Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) takes the lead in implementing the plan, collaborating with various government departments, agencies, local government units, state universities, government financial institutions, and coconut farming communities.
The funding for the CFIDP comes from the Coconut Farmers and Industry Trust Fund established under Republic Act 11524, along with appropriations from concerned government bodies. The plan has several key goals, including increasing coconut productivity and farmers’ income, alleviating poverty, modernizing the coconut industry, supporting infrastructure development, and promoting sustainable agriculture practices.
The CFIDP is expected to streamline and expedite the delivery of support services to farmers, leading to better farm inputs, training, and financial assistance. It also includes efforts to diversify income sources, such as distributing corn and coffee planting materials for intercropping, thereby reducing dependency solely on coconuts. The expansion of coconut planting is a significant part of the plan, with a target of planting 100 million coconut trees by 2028, including an ambitious goal to plant 50 million trees in 2026 alone.
The Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Training Institute (DA-ATI) is also playing a pivotal role in the plan, providing training, production, and technology resources for farmers in the cultivation of coconuts. As of 2023, they have conducted 138 coconut trainings focusing on various aspects of the industry, training 5,805 individuals, of which 4,690 are farmers.
The CFIDP aims to restore the Philippines' position as a top global coconut producer, which has been challenged in recent decades. By modernizing the industry and improving farmer livelihoods, the plan hopes to boost productivity, raise incomes, and alleviate poverty among coconut farming communities.
The CFIDP is based on Republic Act 11524, also known as the Coconut Farmers and Industry Fund Act, which serves as the blueprint for the modernization of the coconut industry and the empowerment of farmers and workers in the sector. The plan reinforces the PCA’s role and mandates cooperation from all relevant government sectors and local governments for a unified approach.
In summary, the CFIDP 2024-2028 is a comprehensive development plan focusing on boosting coconut productivity, raising farmer incomes, alleviating poverty, and modernizing the industry through collaboration among government agencies and active farmer participation. Its successful implementation is crucial for the sustainable revival of the Philippine coconut industry and improving the livelihoods of millions of coconut farmers nationwide.
In the context of the Coconut Farmers and Industry Development Plan (CFIDP) 2024-2028, personal growth and learning are integral to the success of the plan. Farmers are provided with training opportunities by the Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Training Institute (DA-ATI), fostering education-and-self-development in the cultivation of coconuts. This cultural shift toward modernization and expertise aims to facilitate personal growth and support sustainable agriculture practices for the betterment of coconut farming communities in Davao and beyond.
