MINDA MOVES TO BOOST MINDANAO TREE FARMING

The Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) is set to take steps to protect Mindanao’s tree farmers from exploitation and restrictive forestry laws by organizing the Mindanao Industrial Tree Farming Development Council (MITFADC).

The move is also aimed at boosting the MinDAinitiated Green Mindanao Program which promotes the planting of Bamboo, high-value fruit trees and industrial trees in the deforested highlands of Mindanao.

The council will be composed of industrial tree farmers (Falcata, Gmelina, Acacia Mangium, Agarwood and others), processors and other stakeholders.

It will strengthen the industry by addressing issues and problems faced by stakeholders such as the control and manipulation of pricing of logs, including restrictive and redundant policies of government on forestry products leading to corruption.

MinDA also aims to involve Government Financing Institutions in the program by providing loaning package for tree farming, including the establishment of farmers-owned processing facilities.

MinDA believes that a wellorganized and supported Industrial Tree Farming Sector could trigger the growth of Mindanao’s Green Economy while at the same time promote environmental protection.

Earlier this year, MinDA also led the organization of the Mindanao Bamboo Development Council.

Many Mindanao farmers had been drawn to Tree Farming because of the promise that they would become millionaires in 8 to 10 years.

Restrictive and redundant Forestry Laws and manipulative marketing system, however, have made things difficult for the tree farmers, many of whom belong to the Indigenous People’s communities.

Others plant Falcata as an intercrop to Coffee and Cacao because of the nitrogen fixing properties of its leaves.

MinDA Undersecretary Janet Mendiola Lopoz has been directed to form a team and designate a team leader to handle the MITFADC organization.