Through the Coconut Farmers and Industry Development Plan (CFIDP), the Agricultural Training Institute–Regional Training Center 02 (ATI-RTC 02) rolled out the training on Coconut-Cacao Farming System on May 28-30 2025 in Pamplona, Cagayan. The training aims to empower the 50 registered coconut farmers on intercropping as a sustainable farming strategy. It focused on how to maximize their land by integrating cash crops such as cacao.
During the three intensive days, farmers were immersed in hands-on sessions on cacao nursery establishment, from seedling preparation to pest and disease management. Participants also learned about nursery accreditation, postharvest practices, and cacao’s growing demand in the region.
The training featured resource persons from the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA), Department of Agriculture –DA-Northern Cagayan Experiment Station (DA-NCES), Bureau of Plant Industry – National Seed Quality Control Services (BPI-NSQCS) and expert AEWs from LGU-Pamplona. With their guidance, farmers gained a clearer picture of how cacao farming supports the broader goals of CFIDP including crop diversification, income generation, and improved land productivity.
What made the training especially valuable was the exchange of practical knowledge. Participants shared experiences from their own fields, contributing to discussions that made the sessions more relevant and grounded in real-life challenges and solutions.
By introducing cacao as a complementary crop to coconut, this training supports not only the Cacao Nursery Establishment component under CFIDP but also strengthens efforts toward building a more resilient and diversified coconut industry.
As these farmers return to their communities equipped with new skills and knowledge, they bring with them fresh opportunities for their farms, their families, and the future of sustainable agriculture in the region. Because with the right tools and support, every coconut farmer can become a champion of sustainable, diversified agriculture.
By: Geraldine Baligat