Texas firm sets up project for Tublay coffee growers

Danny Killip

TUBLAY, Benguet -- Recognizing the role of coffee growers for their effort in the conservation of biodiversity, soil and water resources, and carbon sequestration in the province, a marketing company based at texas, USA has identified this town   as trial site for the reward of environmental services they provided.

Montanosa LLC-USA representative Domini Mariano said growing coffee and other fruit tree within farms and backyards of farmers rehabilitates natural resources. It also mitigates climate change through carbon sequestration.

Coffee growers in the region are known for their organic agro-forestry practices and their involvement in watershed rehabilitation and protection.

“These environmental services must be rewarded to farmers and payments will be given through kinds (like coffee seedlings), assistance, trainings, or other incentives. Also, the coffee products go to the farmers”, Mariano said.

“Aside from protecting the environment, this reward scheme also seeks to increase the annual income of a farmer, promote voluntarism, and teamwork”, he added.

Payment of environmental services is now an immerging scheme in an agro-forestry development program in the country.

 Initially, the payment scheme was trialed earlier at Kalahan, Nueva Vizcaya and in Bakun, Benguet.

Likewise, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) backs the project as they encourage farmers to grow coffee in their backyards or establish coffee plantations.

Forester Imelda Casiwan of DENR-CAR said that the agency has incorporated the establishment of coffee plantation under the National Greening Program (NGP).  They also support people’s organization involved in coffee plantation.

Forester Casiwan disclosed that the DENR-CAR already has established a coffee plantation of 1123 hectares in Benguet to date since year 2011.

DENR-CAR aimed to establish 2,891 hectares of coffee plantation this year and 468 hectares is allotted for Benguet province.