multipurpose tree species research for small farms: strategies ... - part

Table 1. Average annual yields (t/ha).
Commodity Upland
Rice 1.41
Soybeans
Mungbean
1.10
2.43
Rice (Bicol) 0.73
Corn (Cebu) 0.08
such as fruit and forest tree species for multiple
purposes including food, fodder, fuclwood,
green manure, and fencing.
In the Philippines, annual crops such as rice,
coro, and vegetables are combined with trees
such as banana (Musasapientuni), jack,-uit
(Anocarpitsheterophylla), mango (Mangifera
indica), coffee (Coffea arabica),cashew
(Anacardiutmoccidentale), coconut (Cocos
nucifera), raintree (Samanea saman), bamboo
(Bambusa spp.), giant ipil-ipil (Letucaena
leucocephala), and moluccan sau
(Paraserianthesfalcataria).The last two species
are grown by farmers participating in the
smallholder tree farming project in the timber
concession areas of Surigao and Agusan
Provinces in eastern Mindanao. Lcucaena is
commonly planted in homegardens and along
roadsides for shade, fuelwood and fodder.
The potential benefits from intensive farm
cultivation are enormous. Selected farmers in
the upland areas of Cebu, Ben uet, Laguna, and
Cavite Provinces have reported gross incomes
ranging from P50,000-P80,000 on plots of 1-2ha.
An important feature of these areas is their
proximity to urban markets, enabling them to
sell almost everything they grow.
Marketing Systems/Methods
Marketing is a process encompassing all the
steps involved in the flow of products from the
producers to the consumers. It is a system
undertaken within a network of channels,
middlemen, and institutions which facilitate the
production, distribution, and exchange of
products. Kohls and Uhl (1980) define a
marketing system as being composed of
alternative product flows called marketing
channels, a variety of firms (middlemen -private
or public agencies), an.] numerous
45
Lowland National Average
2.68-4.06
1.56
3.35
2.40
1.13
business activities (marketing functions).
Table 2 illustrates the cornponents of the
marketing system. The goals of each
sector/subsystem are identified. The concept
applies generally to the agricultural and tree
products of forest dwellers but empirical
marketing research must be modified to
consider the unique characteristics of upland
systems, such as the diversity of products, the
small size of farms, and the subsistence means
of production.
The marketin of agroforestry products is
largely through private trade. Unlike lowland
agricultural systems where staple crops, such as
rice and corn, benefit from the government's
procurement and marketing program,
agroforestry products are sold to consumers
through a system composed almost entirely by
private middlemen. Although the government's
marketing program for rice and corn does iot
discriminate between lowland and upland
farmers, the lack of infrastructure and the
remoteness of production areas in the uplands
deprive the farmers of the support prices
provided through the program, currently at
P5.00 and P2.90/kg for rice and corn,
respectively.
For other cash crops such as fruits, the forest
dwellers are also dependent on private traders
except where direct sales to nearby consumers
is possible, but this isusually limited.
Consolacion and Francisco (1988) reported that
vegetable traders in Benguet Province act as a
market outlet, input supplier, and credit source.
This implies a credit-marketing relationship
which isusually disadvantageous to the
individual farmers.