DOST, PCA explore seawater solution to coco industry rehab through Project ASINSO
By Renelle L. Escuadro
What if one of Dinagat Islands’ most abundant natural resources helps revive its typhoon-ravaged coconut industry? For a province surrounded by vast seawaters, the answer may be closer than expected.
For the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) and the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA), the future of coconut rehabilitation may not only lie in the land where coconuts grow, but also in the sea that surrounds it.
With coconut rehabilitation seen as a key priority in the province since the widespread devastation Super Typhoon Odette inflicted in 2021, DOST-Dinagat Islands and PCA-Dinagat Islands called a coordination meeting on June 2 to discuss the development of Project ASINSO (Agri-tech Solutions for Innovative Nutrient Systems Optimization), a game changer in the coconut industry.
Led by DOST, Project ASINSO is part of a wider push for localized technological intervention in the Caraga region. The initiative explored the potential of seawater to produce agricultural-grade salt fertilizer (AGSF) through science-based technologies that support rehabilitation of the local coconut industry and reduce coconut farmers’ dependence on expensive, imported fertilizers.
Supervising Science Research Specialist Roberto Zandro J. Olaguer of DOST-Dinagat Islands highlighted the need for sustainable and locally available nutrient sources to support the province’s coconut rehabilitation efforts. “By harnessing an abundant yet underutilized natural resource, Project ASINSO seeks to transform seawater into a strategic agricultural input that could help reduce dependence on externally sourced fertilizers while supporting the long-term productivity of local coconut farms. “
To support its planning and implementation, PCA-Dinagat Islands Agriculturist II Bobbit Tomarong provided the current status of the coconut industry in the province following STY Odette, including rehabilitation targets, projected AGSF requirements, supply chain considerations, quality standards, and potential areas for technical collaboration and data sharing.
With this strong synergy, both agencies commit to working together to propel and scale up Project ASINSO.
Meanwhile, the provincial government of Dinagat Islands, through the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist, also spearheaded planting and replanting 400,000 coco-seednuts in 2025, backed by a P20-million support fund from the PCA.
The seednuts were distributed strategically to coconut farmers across the province, in keeping with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s directive to strengthen the coconut industry while supporting coconut farmers’ livelihood. (RLE, PIA Dinagat Islands with a report from DOST Dinagat Islands)
