Providing livelihood opportunities through essential oils for small upland farmers. Currently, the communities produce 30 liters a month but at full scale capacity of the factories it can be increased significantly. The factory in Ananggue runs completely on solar power and we target Mambugsay to be the same in the future. The program aims to provide our communities through the essential oil plants a venue where farmers and their families can earn, learn, and play.
Upland farmers remain the majority poor in the Philippines. Many of the young either stay in this vicious cycle of poverty or end up leaving the community to work in the city or abroad. This leaves this sector which is very much vital to our food security vulnerable especially because of the changing climate and aging of this population. There is a need to support a younger generation that contributes back to their communities through innovation, education, and enterprising.
The essential oil program provides income for farmers through the distillation of essential oils bought and marketed by AIDFI from 30 farmers in Negros through two small-scale factories built in the communities of Mambugsay and Ananggue. The factories provide year-round income for the farmers, and some buyers also give back to these communities through gift packages on Christmas or school supplies. The aim is to expand the factory for farmer families to not only earn but also learn and play.
The project will provide a learning venue for children of farmer families to give them internet access and books, which will help them in their studies. A playground which will be built on the premises will help develop the social skills of the young. The project also aims to provide farmer families with rice and school needs. We aim that this will help encourage the students to go to and finish school, with the possibility of providing scholarship support for college in the future.
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