Abaca farmers in Sarangani were retooled by the Philippine Rural Development Project (PRDP), through the Regional Project Coordination Office (RPCO) 12, in partnership with the Philippine Fiber Industry Development Authority (PhilFIDA).

Three batches of trainings were conducted by the said agencies in September 2019, to update farmers in the package of technology for abaca.

Almost 200 farmers were trained on new planting and production technologies, and processes on weaving.

Nelly Ylanan, component head of the I-PLAN Component of RPCO XII, said that the activity is a result of the convergence initiative of PRDP and various institutions and stakeholders related to the said commodity.

Jimmy Bayat of the Lubak Abaca Farmers’ Association said that the training gave them a new boost in technology.

“It is our first time to attend (a training)… our views changed after learning new techniques in planting and growing abaca,” Bayat noted.

Moreover, in a recent Abaca Stakeholders’ Forum in the said province, farmers were encouraged by the PhilFIDA to dispose their old ways of farming.

Most abaca farmers in Sarangani belong to the tribes of T’boli, Tagacaolo and B’laan, wherein, they, for so long, lean on the old technology in abaca farming.

Meanwhile, Rudy Danal of Maasim, a participant of the training, noted that with the training, the implementation of the P35-Million abaca enterprise subproject will soon reap gains.

“We can surely produce quality abaca fiber because of this training,” he added.# Carl Ulysses Aguilon