BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya—Mining firm FCF Minerals Corp. has tapped the help of farmers in this town in a bid to provide them a source of income and reinforce the government’s efforts on the National Greening Program.
Peter Storey, FCF Minerals general manager for operations, said a tripartite agreement with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and the Magapuy Farmers Multi-Purpose Cooperative in 2016 paved the way for the identification of 100 hectares of land in barangay Magapuy for the planting of coffee seedlings.
“We provide the seedlings including financial assistance for the plantation’s maintenance for two years with the supervision of the DENR while the farmers made the planting,” said Storey, who oversees the Runruno gold-molybdenum mine in this province.
Richard Cordero, MFMPC manager, said that as of the second quarter last year, FCF Minerals has already provided 15,000 coffee seedlings and has planted 15 out of the 100-hectare plantation.
“This is a great help for farmers like us. Despite negative views about this project, it has succeeded with proper implementation and cooperation,” he said.
Cordero said he looks forward to the benefits they will gain from the coffee plantation project which will bring their children to schools.
He said they have proposed the project to help in the government’s National Greening Program.
FCF Minerals saw the opportunity of helping the farmers while supporting the national government’s call for the NGP’s multi-sectoral collaboration.
It was carried out under the firm’s Mining Forest Program with the FCF Mine Environment Protection and Enhancement Office who operates and manages the central nursery in barangay Runruno in Quezon town to produce assorted seedlings.
At least 1.7 million seedlings, as of the mid-2017 has been donated by FCF Minerals within and outside the host community since 2007.
