DAPA, Surigao del Norte – The information caravan for the Coconut Farmers and Industry Development Plan (CFIDP) was conducted on September 21, 2022 at the Sto. Niño Pastoral Center in this municipality.

A total of 50 coconut farmers and agricultural extension workers (AEWs) from the islands of Surigao del Norte namely Burgos, Dapa, Del Carmen, General Luna, Pilar, San Benito, San Isidro, San Benito, and Socorro were present.

Roy Alamban of the Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation (PCIC) was present to explain the requirements to avail of the crop insurance program under CFIDP. It was clarified that coconut farmers need to be registered first with the National Coconut Farmers Registry System (NCFRS).

He explained that the insurance is renewable (annually). It applies to coconuts aged one-year-old and intercrops and livestock. Alamban also added that upon the death of the coconut farmer, its beneficiaries will receive a death benefit of Php 10,000.

Aside from crop insurance, there were also concerns about organizing and sustaining cooperatives. Some farmers expressed hardships in sustaining cooperatives because of payments plus the negative attitude of some of its members. The Cooperative Development Authority (CDA) clarified that the agency is not a collecting office and therefore has never demanded exorbitant amounts from the cooperatives.  One farmer from Sta. Monica stressed the importance of organizing farmers’ cooperatives and hinted that maybe the “payments” being mentioned by one cooperative is the financial audit which is an annual requirement and will cost a cooperative more than a thousand pesos as a professional fee for its external auditor.

Joel Oclarit, Regional Manager III of PCA-Caraga, told the farmers about the importance of cooperatives and their advantages, especially in availing of the many services and programs. under CFIDP. He encouraged them to stay positive, to have patience and perseverance, and to organize themselves into cooperatives for their benefit.