Using Our Coconuts! The Gaps On GAP – Why The Hardheads Of The Coconut Industry?

“Good Agricultural Practices (GAP)” the extension people call them, for the intelligent growing of crops. The editor that I am, I notice a wide gap in the list of practices undertaken in the training reported on in Quezon Province in Luzon and Aklan in the Visayas – I’m sorry to say.

I am reading Pauline Gonzales’ news item on the coconut industry, “Enhancing The Capacity Of Farmers On Good Agricultural Practices And Coconut Processing In Quezon Province” (12 Dec 2023, SEARCA, searca.org), and comparing it with ANN’s “Empowered Casinhon Youths Unite For Climate Action” (Author Not Named, 14 Dec 2023, Aklan Media-Citizen Council, boracayislandnews.com,, source of image with people).

About Good Agricultural Practices (GAP), FAO says (fao.org):

GAP, as defined by FAO, are a “collection of principles to apply for on-farm production and postproduction processes, resulting in safe and healthy food and non-food agricultural products, while taking into account economic, social and environmental sustainability.”

We are now Catanauan, Quezon, PH and observing. Pauline Gonzales says (12 Dec 2023, SEARCA, searca.org):

Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) organized a two-day training-workshop focusing on good agricultural practices (GAP) and a refresher course on coconut processing for farmers in Quezon Province. This initiative is under the project, "Development of the Coconut Industry Growth Areas in the Province of Quezon", held on 5–6 December 2023 in Catanauan, Quezon. The event was co-organized with the Provincial Government of Quezon through the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPA) and the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) Region IV, with support from the Municipal Government of Catanauan through the Office of the Municipal Agriculturist (OMA).

I love the coconut, especially the fresh young fruit with its delicious liquid, the buko juice.

The first training day focused on GAP for coconut, with expert insights provided by Ms Rose Ann Alejandro and Mr Moises De Mesa, both of PCA Region IV (Laguna). The sessions covered critical aspects such as site selection and management, nursery establishment, water management, and postharvest handling.

Nah! Ever the self-appointed Apostle for Regenerative Agriculture (RA) in digital Philippines, I was looking for any mention of crops growing among the palms and/or the periphery of the coconut, and there is none, zero, zilch.

That is to say, I was looking for any practice that belongs to RA, such as 1, Compost application; 2, Cover cropping; 3, Crop rotation; 4, Farm crops + tree crops; 5, Green manuring; 6, Intercropping; 7, Multiple cropping; 8, No-till farming; 9, Organic fertilization; 10, Ratooning; 11, “Three Sisters” ; 12, Trap cropping; 13, Trash mulching.

So, I take it that the coconut farmers in Catanauan, Quezon are not into any of the above GAP – this is a Knowledge Gap that the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) should be filling up.

Now then, Miss Monina Jacobo, as Chief of the Coconut Division of the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist in Quezon, this is a job for Supermom! – you have to add to the list of GAP that you teach your coconut farmers!@517