THE Coconut Farmers and Industry Development Plan (CFIDP) announced that they are offering scholarships for the coconut farmers’ children to provide educational opportunities and support to families in the coconut farming industry.
The project operates under the Coconut Farmers and Industry Trust Fund Act, guided by the Ched-PCA Joint Memorandum Circular No. 1, series of 2023.
The scholarship program shall be accessible to qualified and deserving coconut farmers and/or their families duly registered under the National Coconut Farmers Registry System.
The program shall also cover undergraduate students who will enroll or are currently enrolled in agriculture, agricultural engineering, agribusiness management, agricultural economics, and other courses identified by the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA).
"This program is intended for coconut farmers. Alam naman po natin na controversial yung coco levy fund, so ito na yun. Panahon na po na maibigay ito sa mga coconut farmers natin,” Richel E. Zamora, Training Specialist II from the Agricultural Training Institute Regional Training Center-Davao Region who serves as the Alternate Focal for the Coconut Farmers & Industry Development Plan (CFIDP), said at the AgriBiz Media Forum on May 21, 2024..
(This program is intended for coconut farmers. We know that the coco levy fund is controversial, so this is it. It's time to give this to our coconut farmers).
Zamora emphasized: "Hindi lang po yung directly na dependent na mga anak ng mga magsasaka ng niyog pati na din yung mga anak ng mga laborers nila.Kasali din sila sa programa. Isa na din yung mga indigenous people, solo parents, PWD, senior citizen ang mga beneficiary dito basta may mga dependent pa sila.”
(The program includes not only the direct dependents of coconut farmers like their children, but also the children of their laborers. They are also part of the program. Additionally, indigenous people, single parents, PWDs, and senior citizens with dependents are beneficiaries as well.)
Now in its third year, the act was implemented nationwide in partnership with 16 other agencies.
It was crafted to change the social equity of coconut farmers and alleviate poverty by providing quality education to them and their dependents.
It is expected to improve agricultural productivity and modernization in the coconut industry by increasing the knowledge of coconut farmers and their dependents in scientific agricultural advancements and related fields. DEF with reports from Binca Khu, DNSC Intern