High Value Crops Development Program

Introduction
    
HVCDP comprised largely of fruits crops, root crops, vegetables crops and other non-traditional crops. The High Value Crops Development Program (HVCDP) addresses food security, poverty alleviation and sustainable economic growth, empower the high value crops producers through creation of alternative profitable business and livelihood opportunities, increased income to various smallholders and workers, and contribution to national development.

Also, concentrating on other food staples/high value crops, the program aims to create a great impact on poverty reduction. It also set and undertakes the following objectives, strategies and interventions to address these issues.

Objectives

1.   To increase production of high value crops and expand consumer’s access to more affordable, safe, and healthy goods.
2.   To develop and maintain the plantation areas of the priority crops and encourage value adding activities.
3.   To intensify the promotion of vegetable production and their utilization.
4.   To promote organic farming for high value crops.
5.   Support existing processors for commercial production and marketing.

Strategies

1.   Facilitate and promote access to local and international market.
2.   Facilitate and harmonize development intervention in the strategic production zones.
3.  Delivery of appropriate development support services such as appropriate technology, functional support services and structure.
4.  Proactive management actions on demand and supply situation such as assessment of demand and supply for specific high value crops.
5.   Partnership and collaborations with PLGUs/MLGUs, private sector and other line agencies
6.   Implementation of projects and harmonizing local initiatives through counter-parting program.
7.  Capacitating the members of the potential rural based organizations, farmers’ associations and cooperatives on production and entrepreneurial skills.

Program Interventions

1.  Production Support Services

a.  Seeds and quality plant materials
b.  Farm equipment and machineries
c.  Establishment/rehabilitation of production facilities
d.  Establishment of school gardens
e.  Support to research and development activities such as farm production and soil testing

2.  Irrigation Services

a.  Small farm reservoir
b.  Water plastic drum
c.  Alternative irrigation

3.  Other Infrastructure and postharvest facilities

a.  Processing equipment
b.  Postharvest equipment and storage

4.  ESETS (Extension Support, Education and Training Services)    

a.  IEC materials reproduction and distribution
b.  Establishment of techno demo sites
c.  Conduct of University-on-the-Air
d.  Strengthen farmer organization

Region 8’s supply and demand situation for vegetable, fruits and rootcrops shows sufficiency index (SI) of 100.24%, 131.81% and 164.48% respectively, having surplus of 514 mt, 53,747 mt and 76,494 mt respectively, with rootcrops having the highest surplus. Despite the bad weathers and typhoons experienced in the past years by the region, it has able to sustain and met its requirement on food staples.  However, banana production was slightly affected by this constraint with SI of 99.77% and deficit of 624 mt.

HVCDP aims to increase productivity by 3%-5% and income by 5%-10% annually from 2010 – 2017. Production targets for priority crops/commodities of the region include: for vegetables – 20,392 mt, mango – 1,203 mt, jackfruit – 2,592 mt, pineapple – 9,190 mt, banana – 345,353 mt, sweet potato – 118,505 mt, and coffee – 395.91 mt or a total of 497,631 mt for 2017. Region 8’s largest production commodity is banana, 2nd is sweet potato, and 3rd is vegetables based on targets.

*Based on Bureau on Agricultural Statistics (BAS) data, Samar province has the highest target for banana production with 5,155 has. & 22 mt/ha for a total of 113,410 mt (2017); Southern Leyte for sweet potato with 8,512 has. & 4.73 mt/ha for a total of 40,262 mt (2017); and Leyte for vegetables with 1,036 has & 9.5 mt/ha for a total of 9,846 mt (2017).
    

*Discrepancies are due to rounding off.

Priority Crops and their Importance

1.    Vegetables
-    Rich source of vitamins and minerals that is essential for daily diet.
-    Easily grown in the region and production is labor-intensive.
-    Net income from cultivation is relatively high.

2.    Fruits
-    Major source of nutrients (vitamins, carbohydrates, minerals and protein
-    High income and contribution to economy (local and export)
-    Multiple uses (industrial and medicinal)
-    Ecological functions

3.    Staple

Banana
-    No. 1 fruit exported internationally
-    Staple substitute for developing countries hence, important food security
-    High contribution to economy (local and export)
-    Good source of carbohydrates and minerals (i.e., potassium) needed by the body
-    Widely grown in the Philippines

Rootcrops
-    Substitute for rice and other cereals
-    Rich in complex carbohydrates, dietary fibers, beta carotene and other vitamins (A, C, & B6)
-    Widely grown in the Philippines
-    Multiple uses (e.g., culinary, industrial – feeds, starch & dye)
-    Staple food for some foreign countries

4.    Coffee
-    Second to oil in terms of trading value
-    20% of world population consumes coffee (100 million are dependent)

5.    Abaca
-    Widely used in industrial products such as, footwear, specialty papers like tea bags, cigarette paper, currency notes, etc.