Adoption, technical, postharvest and marketing constraints in Gmenilina arborea Hedgerow system in Claveria, Mindanao [Philippines]: options for improvement

Gmelina arborea was introduced as an integral component of agroforestry systems to conserve soil and increase productivity of smallholder farms in the sloping uplands of Claveria, Mindanao in the early 1990's. Massive government campaigns attracted a number of farmers in the area to plant Gmelina trees in hedgerow systems. Participatory rapid appraisal (RPA) activities, in-depth case studies and household survey were conducted in Claveria, Mindanao to assess the adoption, technical,postharvest and marketing constraints in Gmelina hedgerow systems. The major constraints in the adoption of hedgerow systems are the limited land area of the smallholder farms, land tenure,farm owner's decision in case of farmer tenants, and availability of Gmelina seedlings. Technical problems in the growing of Gmelina trees include the lack of technical skills of farmers in pruning the trees to produce straight tree trunks, the shading effects of the tree canopies on the alley crops, and the difficulty of clearing the hedgerow of the tree stumps after harvesting the timber. The major postharvest constraint faced by farmers is the lack of cutting saw to process log into sawn timber. Major constraints in the marketing of Gmelina timber include the lock of awareness or information on the prevailing price of timber, lack of a marketing facility in the area, difficulty of farm accessibility to road network and lack of market network for timber.The recommendations to address the various constraints in Gmelina hedgerow systems include various strategies, coping mechanism, and policy options. Establishment of tree seedling nursery in the different sitios or barangay will ensure availability of tree seedlings. Training on silvicultural management of Gmelina trees is needed by farmers to produce timber of high quality that can compete with timber from neighboring provinces. Institutional support such as formation of a cooperative for the processing and marketing of timber will greatly improve the marketing of Gmelina timber in the study area.