BAYBAY CITY, LEYTE – A five-day Training of Trainers (TOT) on Value-Adding for Non-Food Coconut Products was successfully conducted on July 15-19, 2024, at ATI-RTC 8, VSU, Visca, Baybay City, Leyte. The training aimed to equip participants with the knowledge and skills to serve as resource persons on various steps, processes, and theories related to the value-adding for non-food coconut products.
The training was attended by 29 participants, including 16 farmer leaders, LSA cooperators, LSA trainers, and 14 Agricultural Extension Workers (AEWs) from Northern Samar, Eastern Samar, Leyte, and Biliran Provinces. Key topics covered included the Coconut Farmers and Industry Development Plan (CFIDP), the Philippine coconut industry situation, opportunities in coconut production, processing of non-food coconut products and by-products, marketing strategies, break-even analysis, Occupational Health and Safety Standards, and effective communication strategies.
Engr. Joyce Villanueva, a Coconut Development Officer (CDO) from the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA), served as the main resource person. She provided an overview of the CFIDP and discussed various non-food coconut products and by-products. Participants expressed their challenges with the National Coconut Farmers Registry System (NCFRS) registration, highlighting difficulties and delays in the process. Engr. Villanueva acknowledged these issues and recommended AEWs to continue the registration efforts despite data migration problems.
Although the training focused on non-food coconut products and by-products, the participants had an exploratory visit to the SC Global facility, where they learned about the processing of coconut oil for export and its quality standards. They also visited Mr. Ursulo dela Peña at his Ursing’ Integrated Farm, an accredited Learning Site for Agriculture (LSA), where Mr. dela Pena demonstrated village-level virgin coconut oil (VCO) processing and shared his experiences in cooperative formation and community service.
Feedback from participants was overwhelmingly positive. Ms. Gemma Badion, a farmer leader from La Paz, Leyte, appreciated the opportunity to attend the training and expressed her eagerness to share her newfound knowledge with her association. She shared, “I am very grateful to ATI RTC8 for this training. I learned a lot about the various products that can be produced from coconut. I will do my best to share this knowledge with my association through a training of trainers on value-adding.”
Mr. Allan Joser from Abuyog, Leyte, commended the resource speakers and emphasized the potential income generation from coconut-based products. "I am thankful for this training experience. It has equipped farmers with the knowledge to increase our income," he said.
Ms. Adevoso Añover, an Agricultural Extension Worker (AEW) from Burauen, Leyte, highlighted the training's significance in improving farm productivity. "With this training, success in farming, especially coconut farming, is now within our reach as long as we manage our farms well," she stated.
The TOT on Value-Adding for Non-Food Coconut Products was a significant step towards empowering local farmers and AEWs with the skills necessary to enhance the coconut industry in Region 8.
