THE cacao and coffee industry in North Cotabato is set to become climate-resilient through an all-weather drying facility they will be receiving.
Provided by the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR), the drying facility will also improve the livelihood of agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARB) in Lanao Kuran in Arakan town.
"The all-weather dryer would enable the cooperative to dry their cacao and coffee products all year round to make them resilient and efficient in their business operations," the DAR said in a statement on Thursday.
Provincial Agrarian Reform Program Officer 2 Evangeline Bueno said providing support services is part of the department's effort to increase the ARBs' climate resiliency and improve their productivity and income.
"We provided the all-weather dryer because we understand the challenge of the changing weather conditions here in the upland area of Lanao Kuran," said Bueno.
The department also provided 100 sacks of organic fertilizers and capability training to improve the farmers' agricultural products, mainly cacao and coffee.
Meanwhile, Lanao Kuran ARB Cooperative Chairman Brian Cabañas expressed his gratitude to the DAR for the all-weather dryer.
"This is an added blessing to their cooperative since their operation and production will no longer be hampered due to frequent rains," said Cabañas.
"Aside from securing our products from stray animals, the drying facility will enhance the quality of our cacao and coffee beans. Again, we are very grateful to the DAR for their continued support," he added.
To help boost the industry for the whole region of Mindanao, the DAR also allocated a total of P72.8 million to the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Agrarian Reform (Mafar) of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao for the implementation of the Coconut Farmers and Industry Development Plan.
The DA and Mafar will be collaborating for the Coconut-Based Coffee and/or Cacao Enterprise Development Project (C3EDP).
The C3EDP seeks to enhance the coffee and cacao industries under a sustainable environment, empower high-value crop producers and improve the farmers' income.
It also aims to support coconut farmers through intercropping with coffee and cacao, maximize use of coconut lands, increase the sufficiency of local coffee and cacao, develop community-based enterprises and capacitate farmers to conserve and protect natural resources.
