An eco-friendly lemongrass oil distillation plant was recently opened in Barangay. Mambugsay in Cauayan, Negros Occidental.
The plant was built as part of the Japan’s Official Development Assistance (ODA) under the Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Projects (GGP).
The turnover ceremony on August 8 was attended by the Japan Embassy First Secretary Kenji Terada, Agriculture Assistant Secretary for the Visayas Hansel Didulo, Management Committee of Alternative Indigenous Development Foundation Inc. (AIDFI) Head Auke Idzenga and 30 farmer beneficiaries and other guests
In 2013, the Embassy of Japan (EOJ) provided assistance to AIDFI amounting to $76,722 or approximately P3 million for the construction of the plant.
Negros Occidental is known as the “Sugarbowl of the Philippines” for its sugarcane production. However, in Barangay. Mambugsay, Cauayan, Negros Occidental, local farmers are suffering extreme poverty because the farmland of the barangay is in the mountain and not suitable for sugarcane production. This situation has hindered the economic growth of the community.
AIDFI focused on lemongrass as an alternative crop, which is more suitable to the soil. Through GGP, AIDFI also bought a vehicle for the transport of lemongrass. It is expected that production of lemongrass oil will provide local farmers a more stable income.
The Government of Japan, as the top ODA donor to the Philippines, launched the GGP in the Philippines in 1989 to help reduce poverty incidence.
So far, 519 grassroots projects have been implemented by GGP. Japan believes that this project will not only strengthen the friendship between the peoples of Japan and the Philippines but also contribute to sustaining a strategic partnership between the two countries.