Crop production technologies developed for lahar-laden areas using research- managed and farmer-managed trials were commercialized in one of the CLSU-MPC assisted livelihood projects in San Jose, San Antonio, Nueva Ecija. A total of 40 cooperators/beneficiaries who used to be rice-fish farmers before the eruption of the Mt. Pinatubo were trained and their farm practices were regularly monitored.
The level of adoption of technologies was low which resulted to low yield. This was further complicated by corn borer infestation, heavy and continuous rains during rice harvest which resulted to low quality grains, and sudden drop in palay yield.
For the first year of operation, there was no significant improvement in the livelihood of the beneficiaries in spite of the assistance given them probably because of socio-economic constraints namely: one-hectare farm being operated is not enough to sustain the family's' needs; the loan extended to them is not sufficient to meet their needs, and "dole out" mentality on government-funded projects.
In the same livelihood project implemented at Culatingan, Concepcion, Tarlac, the beneficiaries were able to recover. They started paying their loans on the third year of project implementation.
