The I-REAP Component of Project Support Office in the Visayas held a benchmarking activity in the provinces of Agusan del Norte and Surigao del Sur on April 25-28, 2023 for its partner proponent groups (PGs) from Negros Occidental to expand the potential of the coffee industry.

In partnership with the Regional Project Coordination Office (RPCO – Caraga, the participants from the Visayas are representatives from the PSO Visayas, RPCO 6, PPMIU Negros Occidental, and members of the PGs of the I-REAP approved Coffee Enterprises in Negros Occidental. They visited the Casiklan Wheel Farmers Association, and San Nicholas Development Cooperative for benchmarking of the good practices in coffee production, processing, harvesting and processing of beans and ground coffee.

For PSO Visayas I-REAP Component Head Norlito Ibanez, the benchmarking activity “is one of the most effective means for coaching and mentoring for the PGs, cluster members and farmers during the course of the enterprise operations.”

Through the benchmarking, different stakeholders will have a first-hand experience of the good agricultural practices of coffee production coupled with actual process flow and protocol of the coffee production of green beans and processing of ground coffee that will enable the enterprise management personnel and farmers to make sound decisions, adopt and apply best practices in coffee production and processing to increase its productivity.

The Visayas Cluster has four approved subprojects for Coffee Production of Green Beans, Processing and Marketing amounting to Php60 million. (Photos by PSO Visayas I-REAP)