TANTANGAN, South Cotabato – The Agricultural Training Institute – Regional Training Center XII (ATI-RTC XII) officially kicked off the fifth batch of its Training on Cacao-Coffee Nursery Establishment and Management on May 5, 2025, at the Center’s AID Hall. This capacity-building initiative forms part of the ongoing support under the Coconut Farmers and Industry Development Plan (CFIDP), aimed at diversifying and enhancing livelihoods in coconut-based communities.

OIC-Center Director Dr. Jessie V. Beldia welcomed the participants, setting a positive tone for the sessions ahead. He underscored the importance of developing sustainable production systems for high-value crops like cacao and coffee to augment income and promote long-term farm viability.

Engr. Teofilo T. Jumawan, Jr., Planning Officer II and CFIDP Region XII Alternate Focal Person, followed with an in-depth discussion of the training goals. He framed the cacao and coffee nursery establishment within the broader agricultural development efforts, especially in relation to revitalizing the coconut industry through intercropping and value-added production.

In the afternoon, Mr. Kadafi A. Tayantis, a Coffee Specialist from Mindanao Agri-Marketing Products for Sustainable Development, led a technical session that focused on foundational knowledge in cacao and coffee cultivation. His lecture explored the agronomic traits of various coffee and cacao varieties, optimal growing conditions, and key pest and disease management practices vital for healthy nursery operations.

With its strong mix of theory and applied learning, the training aims to equip participants with practical skills to establish and manage productive nurseries—crucial to sustaining the region’s cacao and coffee supply chains while improving farmers' income sources under the CFIDP framework.