Thursday, August 23, 2007

Kihan in Spotlight


Kihan is a farming community of the Municipality of Malapatn, Sarangani Province, composed of 26 Sitios spread within a total area of 6,620 has. The Barangay is juxtaposed by Alabel and Upper Suyan on the east-west direction abd bordered along the northern part of Malita, Davao Del Sur. Kihan is dotted with rolling hills dominated by grassland vegetation with minor forest cover on very steep slopes. Household count based on 2000 census was 585 households with an approximate population of 3,529 essentially belonging to the Blaan tribal group. Kihan is contiguous with otther Blaan communities in the area.


Kihan is a beneficiary of a pilot research program of Sarangani Indigenous Peoples Development Program and Mindanao State University-General Santos City Department of Biology that specifically targets the documentation-conservation of the remaining traditional rice varieties of Sarangani and the preservation of local customs and the traditions associated with traditional rice. The project took off July 2005 and envisions to establish Kihan as the model for upland rice Research and Development in Sarangani Province.
The research team was composed of Dr. Jaime A. Namocatcat, Prof. Florence L. Zapico, Josephine Carino, Mark de Gracia, Jexrel Bardizo, Bae Betty Katug, Jestoni Badilla and Ms. Maribeth Farnazo.

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