The Domolpos Ansipsip Ancestral Domain Indigenous Peoples Organization in Tinongdan, Itogon, Benguet received 3,000 certified Arabica coffee seedlings and 24 native piglets from the Baguio Animal Breeding and Research Center (BABRC) under the Department of Agriculture.
The coffee seedlings worth P75,000 will augment the existing coffee trees in the community, benefiting 45 members towards the development of coffee production in the area.
The indigenous community raises coffee trees in homesteads within their ancestral domain with an average of 100 trees per household.
The native pigs worth P60,000 will benefit 20 members in support to their pursuit to repopulate their domain with native pigs.
Native pigs were abundant in the community, but not when the sweet potato or camote, the source of natural feeds, was affected by the fusa-rium wilt epidemic.
These interventions were facilitated through DA’s Kabuhayan at Kaunlaran ng Kababayang Katutubo (4K) Program, in partnership with the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples that aims to help develop the ancestral agricultural lands of indigenous cultural communities (ICCs) to improve their productivity by developing sustainable agricultural enterprises and profitability by increasing their income in consideration to their customs, traditions, values, beliefs, and interests.
“I am grateful for the effort of the 4K Program to reach outto marginalized communities populated by indigenous peoples. Our involvement in this quest is pursuant to the current strategy of the DA for convergence. It inspires and encourages us at BABRC to redouble our efforts to produce more quality planting materials and animal stocks in support to the 4K thrusts and those of other development projects and programs for our farmers,” said BABRC Chief Robert L. Domoguen.
Additional coffee seedlings and animal stocks will be sourced out from BABRC to support crop and livestock development projects of ICCs supported by the 4K Program. – Press release
April 26, 2024
