Peaceful Basilan now produces honeydew melon

BASILAN - The provincial government is encouraging farmers to propagate honeydew melon to hasten their recovery from “cocolisap” infestation that destroyed vast coconut farms in the province.

Basilan Gov. Jim Salliman said Monday they have proven last week, after harvesting honeydew melon in their drip-irrigated demonstration farm in Isabela City, that the crop is suitable to the climate and soil condition in the island province.

The Salliman administration had set-up early on two large drip-irrigated greenhouses in Basilan --- one in Isabela City and the other in Maluso town --- as showcases for production of assorted vegetables, honeydew melon, and herbs and spices that farmers can replicate in their barangays.

“This initiative is as part of the provincial government’s food sufficiency program,” Salliman said.

A honeydew melon (Cucumis Melo) is a good source of Vitamins C, B complex, including Thiamine, and the essential mineral potassium, which is good for the heart.

“We are teaching the local farming communities the importance of crop diversification for local farmers to have alternate sources of income,” Salliman said Monday.

Thousands of farmers in Basilan lost their coconut farms to “cocolisap,” a small plant parasite (Aspidiotus Destructor Rigidus) that feeds on young leaves of coconut palms and fruits causing wilting of trees, premature nut fall and zero productivity.

The office of Salliman and the National Irrigation Administration had earlier constructed irrigation facilities in the province to boost the production of rice farmers to cushion the effect of the cocolisap infestation.

“Our food sufficiency program is also meant to improve the economy in the province, now taking off from the bad effects of armed conflicts in past decades,” Salliman said.

Salliman said credit for their recent feats in their agricultural thrusts, meant to empower farmers, should partly go to the employees of the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist and his subordinate-engineers together helping push his administration’s food sufficiency agenda forward.

Salliman said many of the more than 200 now reforming former local Abu Sayyaf bandits who availed of a domestic reconciliation program that started restoring peace in all four corners of Basilan in 2016 are now thriving peacefully as farmers in their hometowns.

Some of them have become entrepreneurs, skilled laborers and fishermen, he said.

 “We want our farmers to engage in vegetable farming and propagation of honeydew melon for them to earn extra cash that they can spend for the schooling of their children,” Salliman said.