Sustainable Intensification Through Vegetable Intercropping in Perennial Crops

Context and Project Objective

Poor agricultural practices in the Philippines are threatening crop production, farm profitability, and long-term food security. Stripping the soil of protective ground cover accelerates soil erosion and loss of precious nutrients, while prolonged and improper use of herbicides and other pesticides negatively affects soil quality and fertility. In addition, inadequate dietary intake by consumers living in Zamboanga Peninsula is a cause of maternal and child undernutrition.

Intercropping vegetables grown through Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) and Natural Farming System (NFS) technologies in the perennial crop farming systems will improve crop quality and farmers’ livelihoods and add more safe-to-eat vegetables to the market, giving consumers improved access to micronutrients for better health.

The overall goal of this project is to contribute to the attainment of United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 2 (Zero Hunger) by improving food security and nutrition and promoting sustainable agriculture in the rural farming communities covered by the project. Specifically, the project aims to improve food security while reducing the effects of climate change and enhancing the livelihoods of smallholder upland farmers in Zamboanga Peninsula on Mindanao Island.

Expected Outcomes 

• 600 smallholder farmers as direct project beneficiaries, with half being women or youth 
• 12,000 smallholder farmers, half of which are women or youth, who were exposed to, became aware of, considered, and finally decided to adopt or adapt the new knowledge and technologies for vegetable intercropping introduced by the project
• 30 micro, small, and medium agri-enterprises, with preferential attention to those led and managed by women, involved or soon to be involved in the vegetable and perennial crop value chain of Zamboanga Peninsula
• 100 agricultural extension workers from Local Government Units trained in vegetable production, with frontline national government agencies to include the Department of Agriculture–Philippine Coconut Authority and the Department of Agrarian Reform 
• 100 farmer-technicians of Farmers Cooperatives and Associations (FCAs) equipped with new knowledge and skills in vegetable intercropping to be shared with fellow farmers.

EWS-KT Partners

Funding partner: Brunei Darussalam-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA)-Republic of Korea Cooperation Fund (BKCF)

Project Period

1 May 2024 – 30 April 2026

Location

Philippines: Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur, and Zamboanga Sibugay provinces