PCA to Modernize Coconut Farming, Launches P29.5 Million Research Project

The Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) will lead a P29.5 million research project aimed at modernizing coconut farming to boost productivity and improve farmers’ income, the BusinessMirror reported on March 11. PCA administrator and CEO Dexter Buted stressed the crucial role of science and technology in driving innovation and progress in the coconut sector, expressing his support for initiatives that advance data-driven farm management strategies.

Titled ‘Profiling and Evaluation of Coconut Palms for National Coconut Hybridization through Hyperspectral Data and Image Analysis’, the research project is funded by the Department of Science and Technology-Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development (DOST-PCARRD) and will run of 3 and a half years.  The PCA will collaborate with the Philippine Space Agency (PhilSA), the University of the Philippines Diliman (UPD), and the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB) to integrate science-based and technology-driven solutions into coconut farm management.

Under this project, a Comprehensive Spectral Library for Coconut would be developed, which is considered the first of its kind in the Philippines.  This database would serve as the foundation for advanced plant health models, allowing precise coconut identification either by type, variety, or reproductive stage, early pest and disease detection, and targeted fertilizer recommendations.