GERMPLASM ACCESS AND PLANTING STOCK QUALITY IN SMALLHOLDER FOREST

This paper presents the results of a study investigating the germplasm access and quality of planting stocks in the smallholder nursery sector in the province of Leyte, the Philippines. Data were gathered through personal interview and analysed using the SPSS program. A total of 59 smallholder nursery operators and 15 government personnel involved in managing government nurseries were interviewed. Government nurseries were established primarily to provide planting stocks to smallholder tree farmers; however, the farmers either individually or in groups are raising seedlings to meet their own planting stock requirement. The type of species produced is largely determined by species availability. There is no free flow of information on germplasm sources resulting in inefficient distribution and utilisation of available species. This has resulted in the wide production of a few common exotics. Less emphasis is given on the use of genetically superior germplasm due to lack of information on a good-practice germplasm collection protocol and limited access to certified sources. The germplasm pathway in smallholder nursery system operates with a very weak link to agencies dealing with high quality planting materials. High quality germplasm enters the system but in a sporadic and uncontrolled way. Although smallholders possess the basic knowledge of nursery seedling culture, the planting stocks raised are of low quality suggesting the need to refine their skills in seedling production