In the interest of capacitating coffee farmers on the Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) for coffee, DA-PRDP’s Enterprise component or I-REAP gathered Lead Proponent Groups (LPGs) and their Cluster Members (CMs) from Regions 12 and 13 to participate in the Training on Good Agricultural Practices for Coffee in Isulan, Sultan Kudarat from March 27 – 30, 2023.

The training aims to enhance the knowledge and skills of coffee farmer-beneficiaries on proper coffee production, postharvest, and processing management protocols to enable coffee farmers to improve the quality of their coffee and be able to generate higher incomes.

In collaboration with Philippine Coffee Advancement and Farm Enterprise (PhilCAFE) of ACDI/VOCA, beneficiaries were trained on Robusta/Arabica Coffee Care and Maintenance including factors influencing coffee yield and quality, Plant Nutrition and Fertilization, Integrated Pest and Disease Management including pruning and rejuvenation techniques and Postharvest Processing, among others.

Utilizing the Coffee Mentorship Strategy, representatives who were able to attend the training will become Coffee Mentors who will cascade the knowledge they have gained to the rest of the members of their Proponent Group (PG).

Representing Caraga at the training was Casiklan Wheels Farmers Association Inc. (CAWFAI), along with its cluster members Fatima Ibuan Farmers Workers Association (FIFWA), Balungagan Farmers’ Association (BFA), and Sitio Antipolo Farmers Association of Buenavista Agusan del Norte Inc. (SAFABAI). ( | | )