The “Community-Based Lemon Grass Oil Production” project of the Bacolod-based Alternative Indigenous Development Foundation Inc. was one of the winners of the Philippine BiD Challenge 2007 that recognized the 10 best business ideas in the country.

The AIDFI entry was one of the 45 that reached the second round of the competition where the winners were selected and awarded P100,000 each in cash at the awarding rites held late last month at the AIM Conference Center in Makati City .

Another awardee from Negros Occidental is the crab shells project of E.B. Magalona. Crab shell is a waste product that can be processed into chitin and chitosan, widely used in pharmacology, medicine, dietetics, bio-technology, cosmetics, waste water treatment, textile and wood and paper manufacturing.

AIDFI Executive Director Aladino Moraca said their participation in the Philippine BiD Challenge will help them in the promotion and marketing of their products.

This will enable us to penetrate the international market for food, cosmetics and pharmaceutical industries, he said.

The lemon grass oil production project aims to construct three community-based essential oil factories using appropriate technologies and practical approaches in creating sustainable livelihood and alternative sources of income for poor upland communities in Negros Occidental.

So far, AIDFI has already set up two community-based factories – one in Sitio Bigong, Brgy. Mambugsay Cauayan and another in Sitio Napungalan, Brgy. Jonob-Jonob, Escalante City .

Moraca said AIDFI produces lemon grass oil through stem distillation in partnership with poor upland communities – Mambugsay Essential Oil Producers Association and Napungalan ARBs Multi-Purpose Cooperative.

He said that AIDFI conducted three years of research on the design of the extractor or distiller, management, community organizing approaches and marketing to guarantee the smooth operation of the enterprise.

Operations of the essential oil plant is handled by a trained community operator who is in-charged of the boiling while each farmer-beneficiary takes part in the production, harvesting of their lemon grass and hauling to the factory for boiling.

AIDFI ensures good quality of the product by strictly following the standard process as a requirement in producing organic lemon grass oil, Moraca added.

Lemon grass oil is extensively used as a source of perfumery and as ingredient in making soap and hair care products, and known for its pharmaceutical purposes because of its anti-infection and anti-fungal effect.*NLG

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