BATO, Biliran – ATI-RTC 8 conducted a three-day Training on Coconut-Coffee Farming System (Batch 2) on October 16 to 18, 2024, at SofTea Garden, Brgy. Bato, Biliran. The activity aimed to equip farmers with practical knowledge and skills to integrate coffee farming into coconut plantations, enhancing productivity and sustainability.
The training, organized under the Coconut Farmer Industry Development Program (CFIDP), sought to address challenges in the agriculture sector by promoting intercropping systems that maximize land use and diversify income sources for coconut farmers.
Coconuts remain one of the country’s primary agricultural exports, accounting for about 14% of the global coconut oil supply. However, many coconut farmers face low productivity and income challenges. Similarly, coffee production in the Philippines, dominated by Robusta at 70% of total output, struggles to meet local demand, relying heavily on imports to bridge the gap.
Integrating coffee into coconut farms offers a dual solution: improving land productivity while addressing coffee supply shortfalls. The training emphasized these benefits and provided participants with tools to enhance both crops’ growth and profitability.
During the training, participants were introduced to key topics such as CFIDP and the opportunities in the coffee sector. They also practiced sowing coffee seeds, grafting seedlings, planting under coconut canopies, and setting up nurseries. For maintenance, proper pruning, pest and disease management, and nutrient application for both crops were also covered during the discussions. Moreover, financial literacy was also discussed for participants to understand how to calculate costs, profits, and break-even points in their production. Hands-on demonstrations also included ring weeding, applying fertilizers, and establishing proper planting distances for coconut-coffee systems.
Participants expressed their intent to apply their newfound knowledge and share it with their fellow farmers, particularly within the GNPBPAC (local farmers’ cooperative). They emphasized the importance of intercropping coffee under coconut to boost productivity and profitability. Their Chairman, Mr. Wilfredo Naval, said that he was thankful for the opportunity to attend the training. “This would be a great help for our cooperative wherein this would be the first step in improving and making coconut farming a lot easier.” He said that while waiting for their coconuts to produce, they can still earn income through coffee production. “The lessons are a big help for us because not only did they discuss, but there were also hands-on demonstrations on how to plant, take care, and harvest the products to maintain its quality.”
This is the second batch of coconut-coffee training that highlights ATI’s continued efforts to empower farmers through sustainable practices, with the long-term goal of revitalizing coconut and coffee industries in the Philippines.
