With limited access to appropriate planting materials and modern agricultural knowledge, many Mangyan farmers in Oriental Mindoro continue to face challenges in sustaining high-quality crop production. Most rely on traditional seed-based planting, which requires several years before fruiting and often results in inconsistent yield quality.
To help address this gap, Mindoro State University (MinSU), through its Extension, Knowledge, and Technology Transfer Office, launched a Season-Long Training on Agricultural Production focused on plant propagation techniques in May 2025. The series of trainings officially concluded on July 18, 2025, benefiting 92 youth and adult members from five Mangyan communities across the province.
The program centered on asexual plant propagation, a technique of reproducing plants without seeds using parts of mature plants such as stems, roots, or branches. Participants learned hands-on methods such as grafting, budding, marcotting, and cleft grafting, enabling them to produce healthier, faster-growing fruit trees.
“Dati, mga buto lang ang itinatanim namin lalo na sa aming mga namumungang-kahoy. Maraming taon ang hinihintay namin para mamunga ang mga ito at hindi pa namin alam kung maganda ang kalidad ng bunga nito,” shared Danny Lifos, a Mangyan farmer-participant from Sitio Liguma.
“Pero ngayon, nagpapasalamat kami at nagkaroon ng ganitong pagsasanay. Pwede na naming dugtungan yung mga bago naming tanim sa bundok para mas maganda ang maging bunga nito. Salamat din sa pagbibigay ng gamit sa pagdudugtong, mangunguha pa kami ng mga seedling para ma-practice naming ulit ang mga tinuro,” he added.
Aside from propagation, these communities were previously trained in organic farming, nursery care, vegetable gardening, pest control, soil management, and community leadership. They also received early literacy and handicraft-making support from MinSU.
Communities served include Alangan in Canaan (Victoria); Tau-buid in Buong Lupa (Gloria); and Bangon and Buhid tribes in Sitio Bayang, Liguma, and Atoy (Bongabong).
“Our goal is to strengthen the self-sufficiency and agricultural resilience of our Mangyan brothers,” said Reynaldo Manalo, STC4iD Agriculture Project Leader. “By equipping them with the right knowledge and skills, particularly in asexual propagation, we empower them to build sustainable farms, reduce growing time, and improve the quality of their harvests.”
In addition, Jorge C. Gawad, Technical support staff and resource speaker for the five series of trainings emphasized the participants’ enthusiasm to learn and apply the techniques in their own farms.
“We saw their eagerness to learn,” Gawad said. “With the right tools and continued support, they can truly transform their agricultural practices.”
This initiative forms part of MinSU's ongoing commitment to address local agricultural challenges and empower indigenous communities through the application of innovative climate-resilient farming technologies under the Science and Technology Community-Based for Inclusive Development (STC4iD) project titled “Livelihood Improvement of Mangyan Communities in Mindoro through S&T Interventions,” funded by the Department of Science and Technology – Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development (DOST-PCAARRD).
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