Mobile clinic to enable early coconut pest detection and rapid response
AKLAN – In response to the serious threat of coconut pests to the recovery of coconut plantations in Western Visayas, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in partnership with the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) launched the first mobile coconut pest clinic in the region.
The invasive species known as Coconut Scale Insect (CSI) has been advancing across the country at varying rates and has been recognized by the Government as a national emergency.
“Coconut plantations in the provinces of Aklan, Capiz, Antique and Iloilo have become particularly vulnerable to infestation after Typhoon Haiyan (local name Yolanda) as rehabilitation efforts involve the massive movement of coconut seedlings from different locations,” said José Luis Fernández, FAO Representative in the Philippines.
About 38 percent of the total land area devoted to coconut in Western Visayas is found in Aklan. The province was the largest producer in the region before it lost about 29 percent of its coconut trees to Typhoon Haiyan. Meanwhile, Capiz sustained the greatest damage from the typhoon. It lost 68 percent of its standing coconut trees, reducing its share of the region’s total coconut areas from 20 percent to 9 percent.
FAO and PCA have been working together to fast-track the recovery of livelihoods in these provinces while minimizing exposure to pests.
The mobile coconut pest clinic includes laboratory equipment and tools for quick pest and disease diagnosis. Pest and disease specimens that farmers will bring in for testing will complement early detection and surveillance by municipal task forces and assist the regional rapid response team to effectively contain and manage pests.
This pilot effort is part of a larger FAO livelihood recovery project funded by the Irish Government through which a total of 1 500 small-scale coconut farmers in Aklan, Capiz and Antique received farm inputs and participated in climate-smart farmer field schools on integrated pest management.
FAO and PCA also jointly conducted a workshop on the production of bio-control agents for women’s groups and farmers associations as well as an information, education and communication campaign to address the threat of coconut pests.
“These activities are an important component of our effort to promote resilient and sustainable coconut-based farming systems in three Haiyan-affected regions. We have worked closely with PCA, the Department of Agriculture and local government units to reach more than 35 000 coconut-dependent farming households in MIMAROPA, Eastern and Western Visayas, including women-headed households and indigenous populations residing in upland communities,” Fernandez added.