by Rowell C. Dikitanan, RDD-SEARCA
29-July-2008 SEARCA RDD News Release
We have every reason to save abaca in our forests. Look at this web ad:
"Bring a bit of luxury into the bedroom with an organic mattress. Made up of layers of cotton and wool, this mattress feels as cosy as a nest. One night on the ABACA organic mattress and you’ll never want to get out of bed again!"1
Abaca (Musa textiles Nee) or Manila hemp, as it is known in international trade, is endemic in the Philippines. Majority of the world’s supply of abaca comes from the Philippines. Abaca fiber is considered as the strongest among natural fibers. However, abaca diversity is threatened by pests and diseases, natural calamities, use of a few genotypes, overexploitation due to over-harvesting of natural stands and change in land use brought about by development and population pressure.
With SEARCA’s Seed Fund for Research and Training support in 2007-2008, Ms. Maria Lea Villavicencio, a university researcher from the Institute of Plant Breeding, UPLB, worked on mitigating the major loss of diversity of indigenous and wild abaca germplasm by enhancing the capacity of farmers and stakeholders on on site conservation and its sustainable use.
Conservation field schools (CFS) were established in Sitio Klubi, Lake Sebu, considered the center of abaca production in the area. Abaca farmers designed action plans and barangay resolutions. They submitted these resolutions to the municipal local government office for funding. The action plans and resolutions included sustainable expansion of abaca plantations, rehabilitation of disease-affected areas, enhancing community awareness through an Abaca Conservation and Consciousness Week, and sustainable funding for the municipal and community nursery.
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1 Taken from http://www.abacaorganic.co.uk/
