(PACAP)

Philippines-Australia Community Assistance Program-Responsive Area Scheme (PACAP-RAS) funded project at SNCAT entitled “Establishment of Micro-propagation Facility for Economically Important Agriculture and Forest Crops” started in October 2006 which covers four components such as Refurbishment of Micro-propagation building; Procurement of laboratory equipment, tools, supplies and apparatus; Capability building; and Mass production of economically important agriculture and forest crops. The project allocation from PACAP-RAS is PhP 999,552.40 with a of one (1) year duration. The project is expected to produce the target crops such as abaca planting materials and high valued cutflower for commercial distribution to community farmers including the partner Peoples Organization – Mainit-Malimono Tree Farmers Association (MAMATFA).

At present, the building refurbishment and capability building are already completed as well as the procurement of laboratory equipment, tools and apparatus. Most of the laboratory chemicals needed were already purchased except those macro-elements that are explosive in nature such as Ammonium and Potassium Nitrates because these items need permit to purchase issued by Regional PNP Explosive Division. However, due to terrorism threat in the country today, our request for such permit was disapproved by PNP Caraga regional office. It is important to note that any activity in the laboratory could not commence without these chemicals because they are needed in large amount in term of culture medium composition as macro-salts.

However, the project team including the support of the administration of Dr. Wilfredo C. Tiu has been finding ways and means to get supply of such items so that the project could proceed to the production stage of target crops at the soonest possible time and materialize its deliverables to PACAP-RAS.

The project team is composed of SNCAT personnel and representatives of MAMATFA partner PO whose tasks are anchored in the Grant Agreement with PACAP. Primarily, it aims at producing low-cost and disease free planting materials of abaca, lakatan, and high value cutflower. The project team is also tasked to disseminate the technology to partner PO using a village-level technology of tissue culture and micro-propagation techniques.

This project was conceptualized in response to the call for project proposals of the Panibagong Paraan in 2006 of which after a series of evaluation the project was chosen as one of the 50 winners from more than 900 proposals evaluated in the beginning. However, it is an existing policy of PACAP that projects that will incur expenses in infrastructure and equipment need a cash counterpart from the proponent. Due to this, SNCAT sought the assistance of the Provincial Government of Surigao del Norte under the leadership of Provincial Governor Robert Lyndon S. Barbers through the intercession of the Provincial Planning and Development Office (PPDO) and lake Mainit Development Authority (LMDA). Remarkably, the Provincial government impressed on the objectives of the project provided a cash counterpart of PhP 50,000.00; hence the project was materialized.

Top