This, in essence, is what the US Agency for International Development’s Growth with Equity in Mindanao (GEM) Program is doing with former fighters of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) whom they helped become seaweed farmers following the 1996 peace agreement between them and the Philippine government.
In the village of Tongbangkaw, around four hours by boat from Tawi-Tawi’s provincial capital of Bongao, three new, large solar dryers (slatted-bamboo platform) on stilts are making it possible for cooperatives to dry more seaweed and sell them at better prices.
Most seaweed farmers dry their produce on plastic mats or tarpaulins spread over beach sand. This method contaminates the seaweed thus giving wholesale seaweed traders the justification to buy farmers’ products at a lower price.
"Maganda yung bilad dito kasi maganda at walang dumi, walang reduction (It’s good to use the solar dryer because it’s big and there’s no dirt and no price reduction)," says Mora Seraji, President of the Dayang Balukbuk Multi-Purpose Cooperative. "Kung doon sa buhangin, malaki ang deduction. (If we dry over the sand, we get a big price deduction)."
A kilo of dirt-free dried seaweed can be sold for P32 per kilo in Bongao. Contaminated seaweed sells at around one-third less at P22 per kilo.
"Ten pesos ang diperensiya. Yan ang malaking diperensiya ng solar dryer at saka magbilad sa buhangin (There’s a P10 difference. That’s the big different between using a solar dryer and drying over sand)," says Seraji, a former MNLF fighter who once instructed other Moro women combatants how to evade capture.
"With proper drying and handling of seaweed, planters can reduce post-harvest losses and cut their over-all financial losses by about 15 percent says a GEM project profile.
The 250-square meter solar dryers, each costing around half a million pesos, are among the 700 small infrastructure projects being implemented in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) and in other conflict-affected areas of Mindanao.
These projects are undertaken in partnership with local governments, farmers, fisherfolk organizations, women’s cooperatives and other organizations that contribute 25 percent of the cost of the project.
At least 110 members of three cooperatives in barangay Tongbangkaw – the Dayung Balukbuk Multipurpose Cooperative, TTsrc Bangsamoro Women’s Multi-Purpose Cooperative, and Sumping Malul Bangsamoro Multi-Purpose Cooperative – will directly benefit from the new solar dryers.
Other seaweed farmers of Tongbangkaw village can also use the solar dryers for a small rental fee of P25 per picul (100 kilos). around 400 seaweed farmers in Panglima Sugala municipality will stand to benefit from other solar dryers that we are building or will build to improve the incomes of former MNLF combatants," says Cebenerio Dispo Jr., GEM Community Infrastructure Specialist.
"Kahit marami sila ibilad dito, wala nang problema, mabilad nila, matuyo lahat (If there are many who want to use the solar dryer, it’s not a problem. They all can dry it)," says Seraji. "Huwag lang silang mag-sabay-sabay. Mag rotate sila (But they have to use it one-by-one. They have to rotate)."
Ten percent of the rental income will be set aside for maintenance and repair of the solar dryers. Two members from each cooperative have been trained in simple carpentry and masonry in case the bamboo flooring of the solar dryer becomes broken. Other officers of the cooperatives will be trained in financial management.
Depending on the size of their farm and the amount of capital invested, seaweed farmers earn between P7,000 to P15,000 for every harvest season of seaweed, says Bid in Pangilan, barangay chairman of Tongbangkaw. One cropping cycle of seaweed takes between two to three months. There are four cropping cycles a year.
The solar dryers encourage new members. The Dayang Balukbuk Multi-Purpose Cooperative has 70 new applicants.
This is good news for Seraji since it will mean the growth and development of the cooperative. "Kung ang coop maglaki na, yung mga bigas, asukal, pagkain, doon sa amin magkuha (If your cooperative grows, they will be buying rice, sugar, food from us)," she says.
The Philippines is the world’s biggest producer of dry seaweed (Eucheuma) and semi-refined carrageenan. Seaweed farmers of Sulu and Tawi-Tawi produce around 70 percent of the national production. – GEM Program