CANTILAN, Surigao del Sur – The Agricultural Training Institute–Regional Training Center XIII (ATI-RTC XIII), through its Information Services Section, successfully conducted the CocoTalk: Coconut Techno Forum on August 18–20, 2025, at LVSR Integrated-Diversified Coconut Farm. It was participated in by 37 Agricultural Extension Workers (AEWs) from the provinces of the Caraga Region.

The three-day forum featured lectures, hands-on demonstrations, and product exhibits showcasing innovative coconut by-products with strong market potential. Ms. Krista Czarmaine B. Orozco, of La Vecchia Spiaggia Resort, served as the main resource person and led sessions on the production of coconut-based cosmetic products, providing participants with both technical knowledge and practical applications.

In her opening message, ATI-RTC XIII OIC-Center Director Noemi Beth G. Macario encouraged AEWs to apply the technologies they acquired and extend them to farmers in their respective communities. She highlighted the importance of assisting coconut farmers in enhancing and marketing their products to improve their income and strengthen the regional coconut industry.

The CocoTalk Forum, conducted under the Coconut Farmers and Industry Development Plan (CFIDP), aimed to build the capacity of AEWs and coconut farmers in value-adding enterprises, including the production of virgin coconut oil (VCO), cosmetic products, and other high-value innovations.