Katjan blog

 It was a very hot, but beautiful day, and mountain breeze catch us when were walking down to the valley. I was enjoying the morning and thinking how refreshing it is to get out to the field from the airconditioned office room for a change. As a project management advisor I am mostly advising the project from the office. But today we were not going to look at the papers but walk, observe, talk and even do something. We were going to practice sticking for establishment of a tree plantation.

On the other side of the river there was a farm lot with house on the hill, our destination, the hill got steeper behind the house and soon only rocky wall with some grasses was reaching up to the other side of the mountain.  The site is ideal for molave plantation we had discussed on the way down. The barangay captain went to fetch the farmer from the opposite hill, and soon she arrived with her goat, she was walking down the hill bare feet, skin brown and thick on the soles. Through the rocky mountain slope (ideal for molave plantation) she came down to her small house standing on stilts. One of the municipal staff went to greet her and intending to explain the purpose of our visit pointed the barren area up from her house.

But soon we realized that this farmer did not know anything about the project, actually she had not attended the information session organized in the barangay centre the week before. Her neighbor had advised her not to. Her neighbor had warned her not to.

He had told her about the project in the adjacent barangay years ago, where officials came to instruct people what to plant and where. The big promises were made; -everyone planting a one hectare of gemelina trees would become a millionaire! -Just follow us, had the officials promised for the people, you will be able to send your children to college, you will be able to buy a new tin roof! Of course this never happened, first came the total logging ban stipulated by the new administration, and trees become restriction not an asset. Then when the ban was lifted by the following administration the trees promoted by the officials, barely surviving in the poor soil, bending and growing thin without proper maintenance, counted only to fraction of the promised sums. In fact the value of the trees was so minimal that gains would be eaten up by the cumbersome process to process the harvesting permits. However it was strictly advised by the officials that these trees could not to be replaced without planting new. Trees become a thread.

And now these trees would be planted to her land. -No thank you said the farmer. No trees on my land. One after another my team members engaged into conversation. In a row up they went, after a while all of them were there in front of her house, standing in the circle taking their turns. Persuading and promising each of them in their own way. The land area was evaluated and advice was given: where to grow annual crops?

-yes next to river, and then on the hill fruit trees, finally forest trees, but maybe only on the far top of the hill or on the boundary of the farm? ….and then you will need a compost, just some rice husks and you will have fertilizer….

-I don’t have any rice husks said the farmer.

–But you have some leaves, don’t you? Look there. –Farmer did not reply.

The  government official was muttering to other, -why don’t we just order her to the office, anyhow that land does not really belong to her, legally she is just a squatter on the state land, if she refuses to collaborate…that’s what we did in the past.

The municipal officer was drawing a different picture of possibilities that she could choose from, there was now coffee,

-no, said the farmer; -how about  cacao, -no, said the farmer, coffee died (so she had even tried it already!)

-or fruit trees what about durian or rambutan continued the municipal officer, -farmer was still not smiling.

-what about lanka the local jackfruit? -Faint grin appeared on the corner of the mouth of the farmer.

Encouraged by that -yes, yes, what about jackfruit?, continued the municipal officer.

Some initial acceptance was slowly going to form up.

Then there was that talk about the money and labor subsidies (the part of the promises) and how she could send her youngest daughter still residing in the house to get a college degree….

We did not practice sticking that afternoon. Not on that farm lot. We, each of us, team behind me walked back up to the barangay center, sweating in the intense heat. Not talking, just lost in our thoughts. The rocky wall of the opposite hill was watching us to disappear from behind.