Given the situation, the problem of the community is very basic and simple considering that the important factors in creating a progressive community is present.
First we have the natural resources, the vast fertile land for farming and the marine life fronting the coastal area is there. The two other important factors are the farmers and fishermen who will do the rest in exploiting the bounty of the gift of nature. The third and most important at this juncture is the participation of a non- government organization or associations to guide them initiate an effective system of livelihood.
The often cause of failure of an undertaking is the lack of technical knowledge and training. The mere extension of financial support is not a guarantee that the project will work, the aforementioned factors should go together to play its respective roles in the this undertaking.
These undertaking will not end in stalemate, once the first step of development is perfected the next step is to develop the farmers and fishermen market. The ultimate success of business undertaking is anchored in how you can effectively market your product. The small entrepreneurs are to be developed also to re-start the flow of commerce within the community.
The whole system of production and marketing will be properly implemented through the formations of several associations or cooperatives managed by a supervising organization. The supervising body will be composed of well trained technical persons and experienced managers who will in turn take charge in the training of members, screening applications for extension of loans and over-all supervision of the members in the conduct of their respective livelihood project.
LIVELIHOOD AND SMALL BUSINESS ENTREPRENEURS
The estimated initial capital investment needed is Fifteen Million Pesos (P15. M) Philippine currency. Extension of loans to would be borrowers will only be effected after undergoing an information dissemination and training seminars which will be conducted by the supervising organization. The supervising organization will be composed of a manager, agriculturist and other technical staff, accounting and purchasing staff. The financing and collection functions will be handled by an existing financing organization, Fatima Financing Cooperative, a duly registered quasi-banking which has a good track record in line of financing activities.
Considering success in the initial releases of livelihood projects, the flow of money in circulation will increase as the economic activity progresses. The boomed economy will then re-generate the active flow of trade and industry in the town, thereby reviving the maritime industry in our port.
Other humanitarian projects that our group wanted to initiate are as follows:
EDUCATION- The town has only one school for secondary education located in the town proper. The students on the northern barrios, especially those from the remote mountain barangays opted to stop from their study due to the cost of transportation, board and lodging, etc. With the introduction of livelihood projects in the mountain and coastal barangays the parents can now afford to send their children back to school. At this juncture, bringing the school closer to the students will help parents minimize expenses and give them the opportunity to guide their children personally. An initial of 32 classrooms building in a two hectares lot is being considered to cater 1,300 students. The estimated initial cost of the land, building and school supplies and equipment is P 12 million pesos in Philippine currency.
HEALTHCARE- Integrating medical services with technology is the target of our organization. With the internet system medical practitioners services and communications can be availed through website. The website will give information on the different kind of services available including immediate medical attention in other places. The Biliran Healthcare Service Cooperative, a duly recognized organization with the Cooperative Development Authority under CDA registration No. TAC-3112 since August 18, 2005 established in Naval, Biliran, Philippines has a track record to handle the healthcare requirement of the locality. The cooperative started with 16 incorporators mostly, medical practitioners. At present the cooperative has established a clinical diagnostic center for out-patient service. The building of a medical center equipped with the modern diagnostic facilities and hospital equipment is the long-range plan of the cooperative to cater the ever growing population of Biliran Province and the neighboring town of Calubian.
HOUSING PROJECT- Low cost housing facilities is also one of the concern of our organization to give our less fortunate constituents a chance to live a safe and decentplace and enjoy a simple community life. Considering the concept of community based housing project, the location should be proximate to location of livelihood projects and to source of a potable water supply. The project will be initiated by developing 80 units of low cost housing.
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Articles for Blog
Calubian is a municipality located in the northern part of the province of Leyte, Philippines (Annex 1) with a territorial land area of 138 sq. km. and a population of 29,9451. It is composed of 53 barangays or villages. Economically speaking, it is classified as a 4th class municipality1 (1st class being the wealthiest) because it has had an average annual income of 20M to 30M pesos for the past 3 years. It is considered one of the poorest municipalities in the country. According to the National Statistical Coordination Board (http://www.nscb.gov.ph/panguna.asp), Calubian ranks in the top 10 of municipalities with the highest incidences of poverty in the province of Leyte2 (Appendix II).
Calubian faces the progressive Biliran Strait of the Province of Biliran. It is a coastal municipality with a mangrove front where the main sources of livelihood are farming and fisheries3. Fishing as a source of livelihood in Calubian is highly dependent on the amount of fish that can be caught in the wild and is not a sustainable way to earn income. And since the produce are usually sold at the local market, the income of fishermen are very low (P2000/month)4. There is a need to find a source of livelihood that is both high income-generating and which can be marketed outside the municipality.
The goal of this project is to improve the living standards of the poor fishing communities in Calubian, Leyte and provide a sustainable economic future for them through the implementation of a sustainable low-cost mud crab fattening culture. The mangrove should also be rehabilitated because it serves as a breeding area for mud crabs and many varieties of fish, and a sanctuary for bird species.
C. Benefits of Mud Crab Farming
Mud crab (Scylla serrata, giant crab) farming originated in China more than 100 years ago and spread across Asia only in the last 40 years5. It has traditionally been a small scale activity and its requirement for coastal mangrove areas limited mud crab fishery to coastal, artisan style fishing common within the Indo-West Pacific area. Mud crab farming has proven to be quite a profitable venture as a family level occupation as long as there is a constant seed supply from the local fishery.
Mud crab production in the Philippines showed an increase of 16% in 2008 compared with 20076. The Bureau of Agricultural Research (BAR) reported that a good market demand for brackish water species such as mud crab and an increase in stocking and availability of fingerlings in Leyte in the first half of 20087 were the reasons for this increase.
According to the International Institute of Rural Reconstruction (IIRR), there are many advantages of culturing mud crabs:
1. Mud crab is a high-value species and its culture can significantly increase the income of rural coastal communities.
2. The technology required to culture crab is relatively uncomplicated (this refers mainly to ponds and pens) and can be easily disseminated to farmers.
4. The mud crab has an international market (e.g., the restaurant trade in Singapore, Hong Kong, Bangkok and Taiwan) therefore the culture generates much needed foreign exchange.
5. Unlike exotic species, the mud crab is indigenous to the Indo-West-Pacific, therefore its market trading system is already well established within the region from fished mud crab products. The transition to also include farmed crab will be relatively easy.
6. Transportation of mud crab is very simple. Individually tied mud crabs are transported in damp conditions in baskets from the pond to the market place. Moreover, crabs can be transported and stored in this way for three to
four days.
These advantages make it an ideal venture for a coastal municipality like Calubian. Fishermen sometimes catch wild mud crabs but these are few and far between (personal observation of proponent). However, it is a sign that mud crabs can grow in the brackish, mangrove-covered coastal front of the municipality. The availability of fingerlings in Leyte also means the municipality has easy access to its source of mud crabs.
D. Project Activities
Two mud crab fattening pilot projects are ongoing in two villages, Brgy. Cabalquinto and Brgy. Ferdinand Marcos (Appendix IV). Initial capital to provide training for the villagers, build the pens and buy the crablets and fingerlings were provided by the proponent.
Several problems were encountered in the initial project implementation. These include:
1.Unsecured pens enabled some mud crabs to escape;
2.When male crabs reached maturity, cannibalism occurred;
3.The constant supply of feeds (trash fish and other seafood) were not secured;
4.The timing of the feeding was not properly observed.
Calubian faces the progressive Biliran Strait of the Province of Biliran. It is a coastal municipality with a mangrove front where the main sources of livelihood are farming and fisheries3. Fishing as a source of livelihood in Calubian is highly dependent on the amount of fish that can be caught in the wild and is not a sustainable way to earn income. And since the produce are usually sold at the local market, the income of fishermen are very low (P2000/month)4. There is a need to find a source of livelihood that is both high income-generating and which can be marketed outside the municipality.
The goal of this project is to improve the living standards of the poor fishing communities in Calubian, Leyte and provide a sustainable economic future for them through the implementation of a sustainable low-cost mud crab fattening culture. The mangrove should also be rehabilitated because it serves as a breeding area for mud crabs and many varieties of fish, and a sanctuary for bird species.
C. Benefits of Mud Crab Farming
Mud crab (Scylla serrata, giant crab) farming originated in China more than 100 years ago and spread across Asia only in the last 40 years5. It has traditionally been a small scale activity and its requirement for coastal mangrove areas limited mud crab fishery to coastal, artisan style fishing common within the Indo-West Pacific area. Mud crab farming has proven to be quite a profitable venture as a family level occupation as long as there is a constant seed supply from the local fishery.
Mud crab production in the Philippines showed an increase of 16% in 2008 compared with 20076. The Bureau of Agricultural Research (BAR) reported that a good market demand for brackish water species such as mud crab and an increase in stocking and availability of fingerlings in Leyte in the first half of 20087 were the reasons for this increase.
According to the International Institute of Rural Reconstruction (IIRR), there are many advantages of culturing mud crabs:
1. Mud crab is a high-value species and its culture can significantly increase the income of rural coastal communities.
2. The technology required to culture crab is relatively uncomplicated (this refers mainly to ponds and pens) and can be easily disseminated to farmers.
4. The mud crab has an international market (e.g., the restaurant trade in Singapore, Hong Kong, Bangkok and Taiwan) therefore the culture generates much needed foreign exchange.
5. Unlike exotic species, the mud crab is indigenous to the Indo-West-Pacific, therefore its market trading system is already well established within the region from fished mud crab products. The transition to also include farmed crab will be relatively easy.
6. Transportation of mud crab is very simple. Individually tied mud crabs are transported in damp conditions in baskets from the pond to the market place. Moreover, crabs can be transported and stored in this way for three to
four days.
These advantages make it an ideal venture for a coastal municipality like Calubian. Fishermen sometimes catch wild mud crabs but these are few and far between (personal observation of proponent). However, it is a sign that mud crabs can grow in the brackish, mangrove-covered coastal front of the municipality. The availability of fingerlings in Leyte also means the municipality has easy access to its source of mud crabs.
D. Project Activities
Two mud crab fattening pilot projects are ongoing in two villages, Brgy. Cabalquinto and Brgy. Ferdinand Marcos (Appendix IV). Initial capital to provide training for the villagers, build the pens and buy the crablets and fingerlings were provided by the proponent.
Several problems were encountered in the initial project implementation. These include:
1.Unsecured pens enabled some mud crabs to escape;
2.When male crabs reached maturity, cannibalism occurred;
3.The constant supply of feeds (trash fish and other seafood) were not secured;
4.The timing of the feeding was not properly observed.
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