Coca-Cola partners with groups, farmers to boost production

COCA-Cola Philippines has tapped various partners for an initiative seen to boost small sugarcane farmers in Negros Occidental mainly through provision of support services like the water system, training, and quality planting materials that will improve their productivity.

The beverage firm, through the Coca-Cola Foundation Philippines Inc. (CCFPI), signed the memorandum of agreements (MOAs) with the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA), Philippine Sugar Research Institute (Philsurin) and Simag Foundation for the implementation of various projects benefiting sugar block farmers in the province.

CCFPI president Cecile Alcantara, who signed the agreement at the 21 Restaurant in Bacolod City on Thursday, October 25, said the partnership marks a new face in the works that their company is doing in Negros Island.

Alcantara said aside from establishment of water systems both for drinking and crop production purposes among upland communities, the foundation has recognized the need for the farmers to be educated on how to plant sugarcane and to have access to good “seeds” so they can produce quality cane.

“We want to renew our commitment to the sugar farmers particularly in providing water for their farms,” he said, adding that the company has already been helping at least 40 communities in Negros Island.

CCFPI’s agreement with SRA is for the building of water system to further augment the irrigation requirements of five block farms in Negros Occidental as well as enable the farmers to plant alternative crops for food security thereby giving them more additional income.

Block farming is a strategy adopted by the SRA for agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) to make sugarcane farming more efficient and less costly for small farmers. Under the strategy, the farmers are organized and their lands are aggregated into an integrated farming block that is more productive and input-efficient.

CCFPI, through the recommendation of the SRA, has yet to identify the five recipient-sugar block farms based on “qualifications” like readiness, performance, and cooperation, among others.

SRA administrator Hermenegildo Serafica, who was also present at the MOA signing, said the project will bring lots of changes and developments as everything cannot be given by the government through the Department of Agriculture (DA) and SRA.

Serafica said block farms are groups of sugarcane farmers that have an average production of 40 to 50 tons per hectare. With irrigation support, definitely, they can go as high as 70 to 75 tons per hectare.

Gone are the days of the sugar barons, 90 percent of the 423,000 hectares planted with sugarcane are all small farmers with five hectares and below, the administrator also said.

“I am deeply happy that Coca-Cola has reached out to the sugarcane industry. Definitely, this is going to have a big effect to the productivity of our small farmers,” he said, adding that “I hope this is just a beginning of the partnership and I am open to the next batch soon so we can replicate it to other milling districts in the country.”

For Simag Foundation, CCFPI’s partnership is for the provision of a traveling training laboratory offering Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (Tesda)--accredited courses on agricultural crop production for small farmers and their children.

Former SRA administrator Ma. Regina Martin, president and chief executive officer of Simag Foundation, said aside from having water and quality planting materials, good technology transfer shall also be made available to remote areas.

“The project will address the problems of farmers, especially those in the far-flung communities, on having access to trainings,” Martin said, adding that a van will go to these areas bringing additional knowledge and expertise to farmers.

Philsurin, on the other hand, will be working with the foundation in researching and developing high yielding cane varieties for propagation and distribution to small farmers. The firm believes that good input results in better productivity.

“I would like to thank Coca-Cola for their participation in increasing the productivity of the Philippine sugarcane farmers. Having quality seed is important and should be consistent,” Philsurin president Timothy Bennett said.

CCFPI targets to identify the recipient-sugar block farms before the end of the year. The implementation will start in 2019.

Jonah De Lumen–Pernia, public affairs and communication director of Coca-Cola Far East Limited, said sugar is a very important ingredient for them thus, it is important for the company to work with the industry.

“We know that at the core of the pyramid are really the sugar farmers that need this help,” she said, adding that through this initiative on irrigation, training and research “we believe that we can improve the productivity of these small sugar farmers so they can improve their families’ lives too.”