The project will initiate the replanting of coconut trees in super-typhoon ravaged areas in the provinces of Leyte and Biliran. Vast tracts of coconut lands were destroyed leaving thousands of small coconut farmers destitute and without any source of income.
The super-typhoon Haiyan destroyed 98% of coconut trees in Leyte Province and other areas in the Visayas. Coconut is the number one source of livelihood for small farmers and with the destruction means famine for them. The coconut tree provides a lot of benefits for the farmers and aside from the coconut meat, the farmer can also get firewood, charcoal, coco coir and toddy from the tree. The leaves are woven and used as house walls and roofing. But all these are gone now.
We will establish municipal coconut seedling nurseries. The farmers can get coconut seedlings and technical assistance from the nurseries. Our team of technicians will go around to instruct the farmers as to proper planting and agronomic practices. In so doing we will be able to assist a lot of coconut farmers. We will source the coconut seedlings from outside the typhoon-ravaged areas. We will establish GPS readings where the coconut seedlings are grown for reporting to donors.
The long-term impact of this project will be insuring livelihoods for thousands of coconut farmers affected by Typhoon Haiyan. Nobody is doing this right now and our project will be one of the models in the area.
