Coca-Cola plants a greener future in Hinatuan
Along the rocky
terrain of Mindanao’s eastern coast, in the town of Hinatuan, Surigao del Sur,
is a lush 10-hectare community farm that has been cited as one of the model farms
by various government agencies, including the Department of Agriculture (DA).
Despite the unpredictable weather, which includes month-long monsoon rains and
even longer dry spells, the farm has yielded fruits and vegetables beyond what
the land and its surrounding areas has ever seen.
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Arsocena
Cabiling, farmer and mother, holds up harvested corn in their fields in
Hinatuan, Surigao del Sur.
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This verdant
bounty and pockets of rain forests belies the fact that most of Hinatuan lies
on limestone bedrock. The constant salty winds blowing from the Pacific Ocean,
alongside the lack of access to fresh water has contributed to the less than
ideal environment for agricultural cultivation and has restricted most farming
activities to coconut and corn production. The lack of water source also
discounts the possibility of livestock-raising.
“In 2012, we
decided to farm better with the assistance from various stakeholders. We made
sure that every help we received would be maximized,” said Arsolino Cabilin,
chairman of the Tagasaka Coconut Farmers Association (TACOFA).
In that same
year, TACOFA became a recipient of the Coca-Cola Agos Program in partnership
with Alternative Indigenous Development Foundation, Inc. (AIDFI). Through this
project, the community was able to effectively shift to a more sustainable farming
system – organic farming.
The Coca-Cola
Agos Program installed a modified version of a simple technology called ram
pump that allows lowland water to be brought to elevated areas without the need
for electricity.
Making barren
landscapes lush with the Coca-Cola Agos Program
“The
unpredictable weather made it difficult for us to veer away from planting only coconuts
and corn. There were times when it would suddenly have three weeks of no rain,
sometimes it would stretch for two and a half months. Vegetables could not hold
it out that long without rain,” said Dina Bayarcal, a TACOFA member and former
treasurer. “We would fetch water from the river and manually bring it to the
farm and water the plants. That’s the only thing we would do the whole day
during a dry spell,” Bayarcal added.
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Large tracts of
land are now watered in more efficient ways with the help of the ram pumps that
draw water from the river.
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With the
availability of water through the ram pumps, TACOFA was able to diversify its
crops that now include cantaloupes, watermelons, soybeans, corn, coconuts, and
other vegetables that are grown throughout the year. The association is even
putting up a coco fiber rope and coir (coconut fiber) production facility.
Today, TACOFA membership
has grown to over 100 farmer members tilling and developing the 10-hectare land,
tapping its water source from the Coca-Cola Agos Program. The organization even
plans on leasing some of the neighboring farms in order for them to expand
their production.
“With a secure
source of water, through the Coca-Cola Agos ram pumps, we were able to think of
ways on how to better improve the way we farm. Access to water opened us to an
endless possibility of options on what we can plant and raise,” said Cabilin.
“We are also looking at ways on how we can further add value to our products.”
This year, the
association has completed its coco coir production facility that would enable
them to produce ropes, fiber mats, and coir logs – natural and biodegradable
ways of preventing soil erosion, and contour farming. Tagasaka’s coconut
nurseries have even boosted its contribution to the Department of Agriculture’s
continuing effort to rehabilitate the ageing coconut industry, with seedling
mortality rates now reduced from 55 to 20 percent.
Coca-Cola Agos
Program: A gift to the next generation
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Colorful murals
are painted on the exterior walls of the water reservoir of Coca-Cola Agos
Program.
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TACOFA serves as
the association for managing the Coca-Cola Agos Program after the ram pumps
were turned over to the community. As the recipient organization and on behalf
of the whole community, they are responsible for the maintenance and assurance
that the ram pumps will continue to serve its purpose. Prior to the turn-over,
TACOFA underwent workshops and orientations conducted by AIDFI on how to
maintain and manage the ram pump as well as their natural environment. Two
members of the organization also underwent hands-on mechanical training and
have been certified by AIDFI to maintain the ram pumps for the community.
The organization
serves as the unifying body for all household and farm recipients of the Coca-Cola
Agos Program. They work hand-in-hand in taking care of the gift of water
brought about by the installation of ram pumps for their community. They
envision the project to serve the water needs of now and preserved for the next
generations of TACOFA members.
“The
Coca-Cola Agos ram pump is a gift to us, and it will be our gift to the next
generation. Today, we will show the people the many ways one can farm; we will
show those who have given much to us that we are grateful for their gift,” said
Cabilin. “And we will show the next generation that with hard work,
perseverance, and unceasing faith, things can and will be better.”
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