The Benguet State University (BSU) based here has submitted to the town’s Strawberry Council the plan that will convert the local strawberry farm to an ecotourism site.

“We have already submitted the plan to the Strawberry Council and we are submitting it to partner agencies for possible funding,” BSU president Dr. Kenneth Laruan said in an interview Thursday.

He said the development plan shuns infrastructure development but will blend with nature of the strawberry farm as an agricultural area.

This move is compliant with the Department of Agriculture’s declaration of the farm, locally known as “swamp,” as a protected area for agriculture and ecotourism.

He added that they are also submitting the plan to other partner government agencies for the needed PHP20 million funding.

Laruan said that BSU realized their area produces the bulk of strawberries.

He said the area owned by the BSU is run by two offices of the university — office of the vice president for research and extension, specifically the agri-based technology innovation center and the Office of the Business Affairs, which manages two groups — the Sariling Sikap group of 206 employees and the Farmers Cooperative.

Nida Organo, municipal agriculturist, said that based on their record, there are 519 farmers planting and producing strawberries at the swamp area. They are tilling 39 hectares of land producing 1,775 metric tons of berries.

She said the income of strawberry farmers have improved with the introduction of farm-tourism activity and processing.

Mayor Roderick Awingan expressed support to the plan, saying that anything that will improve the condition of farmers is a welcome development.

He said they recognize the importance of the strawberry farm and they are glad that the town’s community is extending a hand to the local government to protect the area from flooding, especially during the rainy season.

“This is our identity, let us help each other to protect what we have,” he said. (PNA)