The Need
Onion farming is one of Luzon’s most important agricultural industries — yet farmers face a persistent and costly enemy: pests. Without proper knowledge of Integrated Pest Management, smallholder onion farmers lose significant portions of their harvest season after season, driving down incomes and threatening the stability of local food supply chains. Without accessible, science-based pest management education, many farmers are left to rely on guesswork at the moments their crops need expert guidance the most.
The Intervention
Onion Union integrates digital learning infrastructure, practical farmer education, and community-based governance. It establishes four online learning centers in key onion-producing areas across Luzon to give farmers and agronomists a dedicated space for IPM training tailored to their specific growing conditions, develops a comprehensive farmer guide covering best practices from pre-planting to post-harvest, and forms a Task Action Committee to ensure that IPM improvements are sustained and continuously adapted long after the project ends — building a foundation for lasting agricultural resilience across the onion farming sector.
Country:
Phillippines
SDGs
Key Priority Area/s:
Skills, Education & Entrepeneurship
Donor:
KFW DEG
Partners:
East-West Seed
832
Farmers and agronomists trained on Integrated Pest Management (IPM), covering pre-planting, cropping, and post-harvest seasons
Goals Achieved:
764
Onion farmers trained on IPM and crop protection practices, equipping them with knowledge to improve yield and reduce crop losses
Goals Achieved:
68
Agronomist trained to support and extend IPM knowledge to farmers, building a network of field-level technical experts across key onion-producing areas in Luzon
Goals Achieved:
4
Online learning centers developed in key onion-producing sites
Goals Achieved:
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