ATI CALABARZON’s first-ever Coconut Expo: Merging innovation and meaningful collaboration

In the agriculture and fisheries sector, innovation and forging meaningful collaborations with other institutions are equally essential for delivering excellent services.

Innovation ensures that the offerings stay ahead of the evolving needs and challenges in the sector. Meanwhile, by forging collaborations, resources, expertise, and networks can be leveraged to enhance the impact and reach of services and drive greater success and sustainability.

Under the leadership of Center Director Dr. Rolando V. Maningas, the DA-Agricultural Training Institute (ATI) CALABARZON continues to pioneer remarkable improvements in the ways it offers its programs and services and foster partnerships with key stakeholders to strengthen its linkages and more effectively realize the objectives dedicated to the sector.

One such highlight is the groundbreaking and the Center’s first-ever Coconut Expo 2024, a showcase of innovation and teamwork aimed at advancing the modernization and sustainability of the coconut industry in CALABARZON by merging culture, arts, and science.

Integrated with the 8th Techno Gabay Program Summit, the activity further sought to empower coconut farmers and implementers, bringing innovation and sustainable practices to the forefront of the region’s coconut industry.

The team efforts of the DA-ATI CALABARZON with its partners namely the Provincial Government of Quezon, Southern Luzon State University, DA- Philippine Coconut Authority Region IV-A, Department of Trade and Industry - Quezon, and Pacific Mall Lucena seamlessly made the event a success and opened more doors of opportunities for other cross-agency collaborations and their clientele alike.

The Coconut Expo 2024 was housed for two days on November 18-19 at Pacific Mall Lucena, showcasing an array of coconut products made by cooperatives and small-scale coconut enterprises in the region.

During the ribbon-cutting ceremony, Center Director Maningas was joined by Dr. Frederick T. Villa (SLSU President); Mr. Bibiano C. Concibido, Jr. (PCA IV-A Regional Manager III); Ms. Julieta L. Tadiosa (DTI Quezon Provincial Director); Ms. Honeylet Famillaran from the Office of Sen. Cynthia Villar; and Mr. Alexander Garcia (Quezon Assistant Provincial Agriculturist) in witnessing and celebrating the vibrant coconut industry in the region.

For two days, a technology forum was simultaneously held, covering topics such as good agricultural practices (GAP) for coconut and its importance to agribusiness, potential and innovative agricultural products from coconut, and empowering coconut farmers through product development and enterprise.

“We envision an industry that moves beyond traditional practices, combining innovation and sustainability to shape the future of our coconut sector,” Center Director Maningas said in his message.

Dr. Maningas also expressed the beauty of working together as one of the key highlights of this event was the fruitful partnership between the four pillars of extension: National Government Agencies (NGAs), private sector, state universities and colleges (SUCs), provincial local government units (PLGUs), and LGUs.

“Ito ang ating pagkakaisa, ang sama-samang pagtutulungan upang tiyakin na ang ating mga magsasaka ay may access sa mga makabagong teknolohiya, marketing, at commercialization. With both sides working hand in hand, we can turn our hopes into reality and make significant strides in making the coconut industry a pillar of progress in CALABARZON,” he further stated.

As the DA-ATI CALABARZON, with the guidance of Center Director Maningas continues to pave the way for innovation and reiterate the power of collaborative efforts and forward-thinking. By embracing both innovation and collaboration, the coconut industry is poised for a bright future—one where farmers are empowered and the industry stands prosperous.