The potential of Southern Leyte's Vegetable Industry .

The cooperatives brand slogan: All Fresh.

Macrohon, Malitbog
Maasin City, Southern Leyte

The Southern Leyte Vegetable Project was conceived by the Department of Trade and Industry in 2001, but it wasn't until a partnership was forged between the German Development Services (DED) and the Southern Leyte Provincial Government in 2002 that its realization was secured. Catching the eye of the DED because of its potential, this project has become one of its priority engagements in the Philippines.

Mike Nuñez, DTI and Martin Baerwind, DED

Strong partnership in a fruitful cooperation: Mike Nuñez, DTI Provincial Director and Martin Baerwind, DED Agricultural Expert.

Under the German - Philippine Cooperation program, the DED sent in Martin Baerwind, an industrial agriculturalist to share his expertise on agricultural development. He is working together with Provincial Director Mike Nuñez, his local counterpart from the Department of Trade and Industries (DTI). Mike mentioned: "I also learned from Martin about the ways of improving the project. There is really a big market, endless possibilities and I am very optimistic about this."

More or less a hundred workers are expected to find employment in this project.

The Southern Leyte Vegetable Project started with 15 farmers from Maasin City and the towns of Macrohon and Malitbog. The farmers showcased four kinds of high-value crops using the Off-Season Vegetable Production Technology. During harvest period, the produce was sold to the local market, which consumed 26 tons of crops during the first phase. The consumption grew to 37.5 tons in the second phase. The highest income of the farmers reached P432.063 per hectare and the lowest was P56.367 per hectare.

In September 2004, the Southern Leyte Vegetable Project progressed to its third phase, carrying along with it the initial success of the preliminary phases that started in September 2002. Currently, there are already 44 farmers that are using the Off-Season Vegetable Production Technology, most of whom are getting convinced that economic independence is no longer impossible in the local vegetable industry.

Field trainings about the new technologies were conducted. Project technicians were deployed to brief farmers about the technicalities.

At first, the farmers badly needed reorientation. Then came East-West Seed Co., Inc., a private company adept in off-season vegetable production and provider of hybrid seeds, and taught the farmers what they needed to know about the new technology. The Off-Season Vegetable Production significantly deals with the climatic dilemma of the project among other things, making it possible for farmers to produce vegetables the whole year round, even during the rainy season.

East West Seed Co., Inc. also provided the hybrid seeds for the project. Although at the start, it was agreed that only watermelon, ampalaya, sweet pepper, and eggplant would be produced, some farmers are already starting to grow other kinds of vegetables.

The farmers and the co-op: Eventually, all transactions with the farmers will pass through the co-op and every support given to it at the present will contribute to its growth in the future.

As the project continued to progress, the DTI found it necessary to create a concrete venue where farmers could chart their own schemes to further the commercialization of the vegetables. Such idea then spawned the creation of the Southern Leyte Vegetable Growers Multi-Purpose Cooperative Inc. in September 2003, which now has a membership of 41 farmers. Although the coop is still establishing its own system with the farmers, it is gradually realizing its role in this big project.

To the farmers, the systemized farming approach was new and it required meticulous exercise and willingness to learn on their part in getting used to. Under close supervision of project technicians, they open their minds to modern innovations that require new methods in implementation. All throughout the three phases of the project, the farmers learned about the technical details in seedling management, fertilizer management, water management, pest and diseases management, and harvesting.

Putting up of vegetable stalls in the markets is currently worked on by the co-op and so are negotiations with buyers to boost and ensure sales of the vegetables.

This project's vision is for Southern Leyte to be identified as a producer of globally competitive fresh and processed vegetables through modern technologies that are considerate to the environment and to the lowest-earning worker.

In the third phase of the project, the DTI is setting off the task to satiate the local market and those of the neighboring provinces as well. There's still a lot of work to be done or mistakes to learn from but as Mr. Mike Nuñez of the DTI says, "We're doing things step by step. We succeed in one, and then we move on to the next until we attain our vision."

Recognizing the potential in developing Southern Leyte's vegetable industry by the DED has been a great factor in the realization of this project.

The DED plans to continue the support all throughout its development by providing the necessary technical assistance and financial grants, all of which are greatly acknowledged by the DTI, the Southern Leyte Provincial Government and the concerned LGUs.

Many achievements would not have been possible without the driving force of Martin Baerwind. He may be leaving his post in Maasin, but his passion and optimism that has yielded so many results, will always be planted in the hearts of the people he has worked with.