Seedling Production Systems for Smallholder Forestry Development: Local Practices versus National Policies in the Philippines

The tree seedling nursery sector in the Philippines is influenced by a number of national level policies affecting the number and type of species produced. Policies favour high-volume production of a limited range of mostly exotic species, and research indicates that seedlings are often of low physical and genetic quality. Local knowledge on best species for sites is not being communicated to people planting. A project funded by the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research is investigating measures to improve the performance and effectiveness of the forestry seedling production system in Leyte and Mindanao in the Philippines. Seedlings are produced by government agencies, in community forestry projects and by individual private operators; the main customers are smallholder tree farmers. Communities and private individuals quickly set up nurseries when there is a demand for seedlings, but these nurseries tend to be ephemeral and lack financial sustainability. While large nurseries offer opportunities for economies of scale, small nurseries operate on a low cost basis, and are more widely distributed, and their seedlings are more accessible to smallholders, who lack transport facilities. Small private nurseries, while having limited access to new technology, often produce seedlings of quality similar to government and community nurseries. However, they require assistance in access to high-quality germplasm and training in improved seed production technology, to play a greater role in expansion of plantation forestry. This paper reports survey findings on seedling production systems, and examines the link between national level policies and local level practices