The Plant Nursery Project
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Download 2020 Summary Report:
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Who is involved in
the project? |
The Plant Nursery Project was founded and led by Alessia Kockel and Tyler Palov in partnership with lokal.lab — a not-for-profit organization that supports and empowers communities in Siargao Island through impactful and sustainable projects that promote the local culture. Lokal.lab provided the space for the plant nursery at Lokal Stay, along with logistical support. Alessia and Tyler managed the day-to-day operations, as well as the fundraising campaign for the project. Funding for the project was provided by private donors, mainly from Canada and the USA.
The project employed two local women, Irene Malinao and Shirely Batistil, whose combined knowledge and experience in farming contributed significantly towards the success of the project. Tourists and foreigners on the island also contributed in various ways, from planting seeds to providing vehicles for seedling deliveries. Additionally, barangay council members supported the project by identifying households where seedling donations should be prioritized. |
How has the project helped local people?
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The Plant Nursery Project was developed to address food and nutrient security risks in Siargao, which have worsened since the onset of the COVID-19 crisis. The loss of jobs and income from COVID-19 has reduced household food consumption and nutrition, placing vulnerable groups at higher risk of hunger and malnutrition. Subsistence farming supplements household food needs, but the availability and access of seeds is a major challenge.
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How many seedling
have been donated to local people? |
A total of 13,550 seedlings, consisting of 25 varieties of vegetable and herb plants, were donated to 1,097 people in Siargao. Most seedlings were provided to locals during truck deliveries, the rest were obtained directly from the plant nursery in Burgos. Recipients of seedlings included people from 3 different municipalities (Burgos, San Isidro, and Santa Monica) and 14 barangays.
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Number of people that received seedlings per municipality.
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Number of donated seedlings per municipality.
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How will the project continue to support local communities?
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The Plant Nursery Project has supported numerous subsistence farmers in Siargao, providing them with an abundance and diverse array of vegetable and herb plants to grow their own food. Several of the plants donated to farmers were open-pollination varieties, meaning the seeds that will be produced by these plants are suitable for ‘seed saving’—the practice of collecting and saving seeds for future use. Despite the proven benefits of seed saving, most subsistence farmers are unaware of the value of seed saving and lack access to regionally appropriate varieties of open-pollination and locally-produced seeds. To address this lack of knowledge and capacity, the Plant Nursery Project has developed a training workshop on seed saving. The workshop is anticipated to increase the use of seed saving on the island, which in turn can strengthen food and nutrition security.
The first workshop was held on August 23, 2020 at Lokal Stay in Burgos municipality. The 2-hour workshop consisted of lectures, demonstrations, and hands-on activities. Participants included 20 women from Poblacion 1 and 2 who are actively engaged in subsistence farming. Information pamphlets and open-pollination seeds were given to each participant. Participants were also provided instructions and materials (e.g., soil, seeds, containers) to practice different techniques of planting and germinating seeds. The success of the first workshop has spurred interest to facilitate similar trainings in Burgos and other municipalities in Siargao. Workshops will be held on a request basis, but are dependent on funding and travel restrictions. |
"We have already harvested many vegetables from donated seedlings, which has really helped us meet our day-to-day needs."
-Quote from a subsistence farmer in Burgos
"Thank you so much for the workshop. It was a big help for us because we got to learn a lot about seeds and how to grow and take care of plants." -Feedback from a 'seed saving' workshop participant
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