Buguias is the leading producer of highland vegetables in Benguet. The municipality is a four-hour drive from Baguio via the Baguio-Bontoc-Banawe road. Occupying an area of 21,279 hectares, Buguias ranks fifth in size in the entire province of Benguet.

Majority of the inhabitants of Buguias are farmers making terraces on the mountainside for vegetable production. Commonly produced crops include lettuce, cabbage, potatoes, Chinese cabbage, carrots, onion sleeks, cauliflower and broccoli. These vegetables find their way at the La Trinidad Trading Post and marketed to Manila and other urban centers of the country.

West Poblacion is one of the 14 barangays of Buguias. It has a total farm area of approximately 1,400 hectares, divided into parcels of land that range from 100 sq.m. to 5,000 sq.m.

Since the primary source of income is farming and a number of vegetable farmers are spread out in the barangay, Mr. Canny Palbusa Sr. organized an association which aimed to improve the livelihood of its members. The Western Poblacion Farmers' Association (WPFA) was established in 1978 and was fully registered in 1997. It has approximately 200 members at present.

Manual hauling
Before the establishment of the agricultural tramline system, manual hauling is the common practice done by the farmers in West Poblacion when transporting their produce from the farm to the nearest serviceable road.

The hauling practice is one of the major problems encountered by the farmers in the highlands. The average distance between the vegetable farm and the main accessible road is 1.2 kilometers. To haul their harvests, the farmers sometimes hire local laborers, commonly known as ''comboy''.

Many farmers believed that manual hauling is one of the factors that contribute to the losses of their produce. It would take hours or even days to haul all the vegetable
harvests to the steep pathways before they could reach the main road. Unavailability of comboys during the period of hauling delays the transport of vegetables from the farm to the primary market outlet, denying them the opportunity to receive higher payment especially if the market price of vegetables is high.

The farmers also experienced delays in fertilizer application when there is lack of comboys in the vicinity. Fertilizers were not applied either at the recommended time or at recommended quantity resulting to low yield and low quality of produce.

Another nagging issue on manual hauling is the fees that farmers pay to the comboys. Each farmer pays an amount of fifty centavos for every kilogram of vegetables hauled.

Introduction of the agricultural tramline
Agricultural tramline is an alternative means of hauling farmers' produce using the cables and pulleys to transport products from inaccessible farms to the nearest road network.

This ropeway infrastructure facilitates efficient delivery of agricultural products at reduced cost from the production areas to the market.

The Bureau of Postharvest Research and Extension (BPRE) is currently implementing a National Program for Agricultural Tramline Systems, establishing pilot agricultural tramline projects to showcase the benefits and eventually commercialize the technology.

Engr. Gaston Cael, of Department of Agriculture-Regional Field Unit-Cordillera Administrative Region (DA-RFU-CAR) disclosed that farmers in the highlands should be given assistance through the agricultural tramline to help them improve the quality of their produce.

''Vegetables and other perishables, which deteriorate faster, can now reach the consumers fresh and in good shape through the tramline system. It reduces hauling cost and time which translates to excess hours for other activities equivalent to extra profits,'' Cael added.

The Agricultural Tramline System (ATS) was introduced to the Western Poblacion Farmers' Association to ensure the efficient handling of highland vegetables from the source to the market outlet. Earlier on, the members of the association were trained by BPRE on the operation and maintenance of the agricultural tramline. (Please see related story on page 3).

Benefits gained

Some of the WPFA members were interviewed about their perceptions toward the tramline facility. They cited different advantages of using the technology, namely:
The facilities will easily haul their produce from the farm to the main road. It can haul tons of vegetables in a day as compared to manual hauling.

> Less time is used in hauling so farmers can immediately
deliver the vegetables to the market. This means that they can use their free time for other productive activities.

> With tramline, bruises and damages of vegetables will be prevented during the hauling operation. Hence, vegetable losses will be eliminated.

> Lastly, the total production cost is decreased since their cost in hiring a comboy is lessened.

Mr. Mario Palbusa, President of the Western Poblacion Farmers Association, emphasized that through the introduction of agricultural tramline to the farmers of Buguias, the hauling cost and the drudgery of carrying products along mountain trails to the loading points have been reduced.

''Malaki ang naitulong ng tramline sa amin dahil hindi na kami mahihirapan mag-akyat ng mga ani namin para dalhin sa palengke. Hindi na rin kami mahihirapan kung umuulan. Menos pagod at gastos pa''.
He also added that ''..Simula nang ipinagkaloob ang tramline sa asosasyon, tuluy-tuloy na ang operasyon nito. Kung meron mang problema sa makina, naayos din ito. ...Marami kaming natutunan sa tramline training ng BPRE na ginanap noong Pebrero,'' Palbusa added.