Income Augmentation Activities of Abaca Farmers in Sabloyon Caramoran,

Catanduanes
 Chapter 1

This chapter introduces the nature of the problem and reviews related literature and

theories underlying the framework of the study which provides an important role in the conduct

of the study.

Introduction

Today, massive amounts of data are produced almost instantly. created by

individuals, machines, internet-connected gadgets, and other sources, if any to provide

useful insights for the decision-making process, such enormous data needs to be

gathered, sorted, analyzed, and made interpretable. Native to the Philippines, abaca is

also known by its scientific name, Musa textiles. The "musaceae" family, which includes

banana, includes abaca. Since abaca is sometimes referred to as Manila hemp outside

of the Philippines, it has long been associated with the nation. In terms of output,

acreage, and economic impact, it is the most significant farmed plant fiber in the nation.

(DA, 2019)

Abaca is primarily grown for its fiber. Abaca is seen as to have a plant that

produces no waste, using the seeds as enzymes for goods for wellness, skin care, and

cosmetics. the abaca seed oil utilized as components in nontoxic paints, varnishes,

inks, and colors sealants and lacquers. Addition of nutritional abaca seed oil to muffins,

cookies, and energy bars. the stalks of abaca a source that is thought to be the origin of

strong and resilient fibers that are used as the basis for making cloth, textiles, or

cordage

handicrafts made of fiber (PhilFIDA,2021).

continues to be one of the Department of Agriculture's (DA) top agricultural priorities

because the country supplies more than 87.4% of the world's fiber market and

generates more than USD 111.13 million in annual international trade. The market for

abaca fiber has been experiencing growth as the Philippines' fiber craft industry

continues to expand thanks to the rising demand for gifts, toys, and household goods. In

the upcoming years, it is also anticipated that rising customer interest in lifestyle

products will support the growth trend for abaca crafts. Currently, the Philippines and

Ecuador are the only two significant producers of abaca fiber in the world, with the

Philippines accounting for more than 80% of the industry's total production (Sagocsoc,

2018).

Catanduanes, a province in the Philippines, is thought to be the country's top

producer of abaca fiber. Abaca production in the nation is heavily reliant on the province

of Catanduanes. Abaca is the main source of income for thousands of farmers in this

region. Many abaca growers came to the province to conduct business, which helped

the area's economy flourish. Therefore, it is not surprising that abaca cultivation is the

main form of agriculture in the region. The Bicol Region's Catanduanes province, also

known as the "abaca country," has a total land area of 1,511 square kilometers (Tapado

et.al, 2018)

Review of Relates Literature

Due to its widespread industrial use and potential for use as a renewable bio-

source, abaca is today regarded as one of the most significant natural fibers. According

to reports, abaca grows abundantly in Ecuador, Costa Rica, Panama, Guatemala, and
Indonesia. Although abaca is grown all over the world, it is thought that the Philippines

is the country that produces the most abaca (De Guzman, 2017).

With 92.3% of the Bicol production coming from Catanduanes, the Philippines'

leading abaca-producing province. In comparison to regional and national yields of 430

kilograms per hectare and 340 kilograms per hectare, the province also reported the

highest productivity of 600 kilograms per hectare. in that order. Abaca production is

anticipated to flourish in the regional, national, and international markets due to

concerns about decomposable items and forest protection. Therefore, the viability of the

local abaca industry is essential to the country as well as the province of Catanduanes

(PhiFIDA, 2016)

Abaca had many advantages for the environment. It enables abaca growers and

manufacturers to make a living, creates jobs in the manufacturing sector, and brings in

foreign exchange for the nation. Like how consumers' strong desire for and acceptance

of "green" and "organic" goods forced manufacturing firms to concentrate on abaca is a

biodegradable raw material. Abaca is also thought to be the strongest of all natural

fibers, and because of its superior advantages to other materials, it is favoured by many

businesses around the world over synthetic fibers like plastic. Abaca cordage is

preferred by workers in the shipping industry and other sectors involved in oil dredging

or exploration due to its non-slipping qualities and lack of negative effects on the marine

ecosystem. Because of its durability and capacity to be recycled, abaca pulp is also in

high demand in the pulp and paper industries. Because of its durability and capacity to

be recycled, abaca pulp is also in high demand in the pulp and paper industries (Perez,

2016).
 The final applications of the fiber are frequently the focus of recent work on

abaca's potential. Abaca processing into high-value goods like condensers, filters, and

other speciality papers demands technology and investment that are unaffordable at the

village level, maybe analogous to the creation of paper from wood pulp. Even though

the final processing of these new goods will take place somewhere else, the new value-

added abaca products make the abaca industry a viable source of jobs at the regional

and national levels as well as offer new opportunities for export earnings. In any

scenario, the abaca-growing communities are probably able to sell more of the raw fiber

they produce. (Capistrano, 2018)

Due to the high level of agricultural production and use exclusivity, the

Philippines has a competitive edge when using abaca fiber as a raw material. There

were rumors that neighboring nations like Thailand tried to obtain a government license

to cultivate it, but this was unsuccessful due to protests and concerns, particularly from

exporters. However, Indonesia poses a big threat as well because it is interested in

expanding its vast abaca plantations. Additionally, there are indications of increased

abaca production in Ecuador on hectares. It is said to have higher and more consistent

quality, and it costs less to buy. Abaca farming is a rather easy process. For an abaca

plantation, cultivators do not need to plow the soil. Weeding is only occasionally needed

in an abaca plantation. The persistence of diseases and pests, particularly the

prevalence of viral diseases like Abaca-Mosaic and Abaca Bunchy-top, is its current

and long-standing production issue. Typhoons and other natural disasters might

threaten the regular and stable supply of abaca raw materials. The initial abaca

plantation takes 2 to 4 years to mature, however as abaca develops shoots, the crop
may be harvested 4 to 8 months after planting. The abaca plant's trunk is afterwards

picked for its fiber. Hand-stripping, spindle-stripping, and decortications are all used in

the extraction of abaca fiber. The output of the hand-stripping method ranges from 15 to

25 kg. compared to Spindle Stripping, which could produce 80 to 120 kg of fiber every

man-day. per man-day. The fibers are graded into two categories: those classified as

hand-stripped and those classified as spindle-stripped. The fibers are either graded or

classified as Normal (S2, S3, I, G, H, JK, M1) and Residual (Y, OT) or Excellent (AD,

EF, S2, S3) Good (I, G, H), Fair (JK, M1) and Coarse (L) (Rutten, 2021).

Research Questions

The following questions were specifically addressed in this effort:

1. What is the demographic profile of abaca production in Catanduanes in terms of

(a) variety, (b) number of producing barangays, (c) production in metric tons, (d)

production land area, (e) and number of farmers.

2. What method of data mapping will be used to visualize the abaca production?

3. How does the augmentation activities impact the overall production of abaca in

the location?

Theoretical Framework

Kaplinski (2000) defined the value chain as "the full range of activities which are

required to bring a product or service from conception, through the various phases of

production (involving a combination of physical transformation and the input of various

producer services), delivery to final consumers, and final disposal after use. Considering

its overall It adopts the contour, taking it. This illustrates that production itself is just one
of many value-added relationships. Additionally, as shown in Figure 1, there are several

activities within each link of the chain.

Value chains "come in two broad types depending on which player have the most

significant influence," according to Rodrigue (2013). Producer-driven industries typically

have significant entry barriers because many commodities chains demand

capital/technology intensive manufacturing and economies of scale. This can be the

producer (farmer/manufacturer) or the buyer. Rodrigue specifically when it comes to

retailing and brand names, it was stated that "they are primarily coordinated by the

producers and the value chain to interlink links, and buyer-driven where producers are

bound to the decisions of buyers through the functions of design and marketing."

Design and Production Marketing

Figure 1: Chain Analysis of Augmentation

Significance of the Study

Therefore, this study has gathered important data about abaca production in the

province of Catanduanes and will use a paper to educate the public about the data

mapped/visualized demographics of abaca production in Sabloyon Caramoran,

Catanduanes. This will enable them to take any necessary action to maintain or develop

the burgeoning emerging industry in the province. The investigation underway now

Therefore, will fill the gap highlighted above with the goal of raising public awareness
through a website that uses data visualization technique to promote and develop abaca

production to support abaca farmers' financial situation. This research will directly

benefit those involved in abaca farming and related industries because it will alert the

relevant government agencies to carefully plan actions for mitigating the effects of

planetary evolution and climate change in order to improve the situation of farmers,

particularly those involved in abaca farming.

Abaca production Profile, A leaflet from the Department of Agriculture-Philippine Fiber

Industry Development Authority (PhilFIDA), Region V.(2020)

Abaca Value-Chain Analysis Region V – Bicol Region. Philippine Rural Development

Program Presented by Department of Agriculture Region V (2019).

Capistrano, A. D. and Marten, G.G. (1986), ‘Agriculture in Southeast Asia’, in G.G.

Martin, ed., Traditional Agriculture in Southeast Asia: A Human Ecology

Perspective, Westview Press, Boulder, pp. 6–19.

Catanduanes Holds 1st Abaca Festival. Hibla, A Quarterly Production of PhiFIDA, Vol.

2, No. 2 April-June 2016 issue

De Guzman, C. C. (2017). Urban Agriculture in the Philippines: Initiatives, Practices,

Significance, and Threats. Sustainable Landscape Planning in Selected Urban

Regions, 187–197. doi:10.1007/978-4-431-56445-4_16

Perez, J. R. S. (2016). There’s Money in Abaca. Sunstar Newspaper September 12,

2016 issue. (February 9, 2018).

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Rutten, R. 2021. Artisans and Entrepreneurs in the rural Philippines. Making a Living

and Gaining Wealth in Two Commercialized Crafts. Amsterdam: VU University Press

– Center for Asian Studies Amsterdam (CASA)

Sagocsoc, R. A. (2018). Production and marketing practices of abaca farmers in Caraga

Region [Philippines]. AGRIS: International Information System for the Agricultural

Science and Technology. Retrieved October 10, 2022, from

https://agris.fao.org/agris-search/search.do?recordID=PH2021000276

Tapado, B. M., & Palaoag, T. D. (2018). Data Visualization of Abaca Production in

Catanduanes. Proceedings of the 2018 2nd International Conference on

Algorithms, Computing and Systems - ICACS ’18. doi:10.1145/3242840.3242878