In partnership with the Kabugao municipal government, the Apayao provincial government, and the Philippine Fiber Industry Development Authority (Phil-FIDA), the Apayao State College (ASC) ventured into a DOST-CAR-assisted sericulture project through a memorandum of agreement at the newfound Barangay Elias K. Bulut here recently.
With the initial one-hectare land area provided by the Kabugao local government and the 24,000 mulberry cuttings provided by the Phil-FIDA, the project is seen to provide research opportunities for the college and livelihood opportunities for the people of the said barangay.
Ultimately, it is aimed that the project will expand to at least 10 hectares to sustain the mulberry leaves requirement of silkworms for cocoon production within four years.
As agreed, DOST-CAR will continuously provide the technical support to the farmers with the technology on silk worm production currently in place.
Earlier on January 11, 2017, DOST-CAR Regional Director Victor D. Mariano, the proponent of the project, personally visited ASC to initially discuss the project components as well as the actual project site. Mariano is the first member of the ASC Board of Trustees to visit ASC’s main campus in Malama, Conner.
“Silk out of the sericulture technology has a very big market being a high-value product. It would also provide a lot of jobs considering the 70% silk requirement of the country today,” Mariano said.
Sericulture or silk farming is the rearing of silkworm for the production of silk. Silk was first produced in China as early as the Neolithic period. During the late 1960s, it was introduced in the country by the Japanese Overseas Cooperation Volunteers through the Mountain Province Development Authority (MPDA) in La Trinidad, Benguet.
When the MPDA was abolished, the sericulture project was handed over to the Philippine Textile Research Institute (PTRI) of the National Science Development Board (NSDB, now DOST) by order of the Philippine President.
“Cordillerans have the natural talent in weaving. One weaver that we give a job is one less person yearning for the job,” Mariano also underlined.
With the aim to revitalize the sericulture industry in Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), the need for the establishment of silkworm rearing houses with appropriate mulberry fields is now realized initially in Apayao through ASC.
To date, 18 silkworm mainlines are maintained by DOST-CAR in partnership with Benguet State University (BSU) as sources of quality hybrid silkworm eggs to be distributed to the other project recipients which include Kalinga State University (KSU), Mountain Province State Polytechnic College (MPSPC) and BSU itself.
“Aside from its being an erosion control measure, the sericulture project, which we are planning to expand up to ten hectares, can contribute to poverty reduction, food security, climate change mitigation and the National Greening Program (NGP),” ASC President Nieves A. Dacyon said.
In the case of ASC, the project will already begin producing cocoons from silk worms after 10 months. They will be transported to the facilities of Phil-FIDA in Wangal, La Trinidad, Benguet for post cocoon processing until they will be finally be sold for weaving to the Sagada Weaving and other potential weavers.
By Jaylord Agpuldo