Lack
of modern agricultural technologies, support systems and
ineffective planning had taken their toll on the farming
and fishing town of Trinidad, Bohol. Rich farm assets were
laid to waste and people turned to rebellion to solve their
growing frustration.
The
municipal government of Trinidad crafted a plan to solve
the two problems of growing insurgency and poor agricultural
production all at once. The plan called for the creation
of a 5.6-hectare Municipal Demonstration Farm, establishment
of a Municipal Agriculture Office, construction of deep
wells and water tanks and irrigation facilities, and founding
of research centers and nurseries for fruit trees and other
profitable plants.
By
2001, there was a marked increase in productivity level
among the farmer-beneficiaries. The project’s Demo
Farm yielded mangoes weighing one kilo each, high-yielding
and disease-resistant varieties of rice, among others. To
maximize the use of this technology, the local government
organized farmers into associations through which it could
promote new techniques. In associations, it became easier
for the government to provide adequate training and technical
assistance to these communities.
The
combination of technology and people empowerment brought
robust income to a town previously beset with poor productivity
yields. The town of Trinidad saw earnings in 1997 of P2,000
increase a hundredfold to P196,000 in 2002. More than 5,000
households have benefited from the program, and these beneficiaries
have in turn invested even more in the program in the hopes
continued success.
