This article I write focuses on the involvement of indigenous peoples on coffee production. It's interesting to know their participation and the industry sector's interests and plans of propagating the production of coffee. I am a coffee addict and drinks coffee be it brewed, latte, cappuccino ... it's a happy feeling when sipping a hot cup while writing. Take a look at this article about Davao's coffee farm expansion project under private and public partnership.
Davao Lumads to benefit from DA’s coffee farm expansion
The Department of Agriculture (DA) Davao’s target of some 1,200-hectare expansion of coffee farms will benefit mostly indigenous peoples (IPs) or Lumads in the region to be planted for both the Robusta and Arabica varieties.
Melanie Provido, head of DA Davao high value crops development program, said DA has a three-year program for Robusta coffee variety where the expansion program covers about 700 hectares.
On the other hand, Provido said the Arabica variety will be propagated to some 500 hectares in Davao City by Rocky Mountain Arabica Coffee Company. The identified areas are in barangays Carmen, Calinan, Cebulan, Toril and in Salaysay, Tamayong and Marilog.
She said these are convergence areas of DA, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR), the provincial government headed by Governor Rodolfo del Rosario and the local government units (LGUs).
The area, she said is also in support to the program of the provincial LGUs to develop areas of indigenous people's (IPs) as well as support them (IPs) on their livelihood. Todate, about 500 hectares are now planted into this variety in Talaingod town in Davao del Norte.
Provido said included in the three-year program is also the setting up of common service area (CSA) where it provides post harvest facilities like dryer, coffee roaster and dehaulers which can serve areas of about 10 hectares. The CSA is facilitated through people's organization or farmers' association so that each farmer can have access the facilities.
The Robusta program is also in collaboration with Nestle Philippines as the company aside from marketing support where they put up a buying station in Tagum City also provides training to farmers on new technologies and other related concerns.
Provido said of the 100 percent requirement of the company, it only gets 27 to 30 percent from here and the 70 percent is imported from countries including Vietnam.
She said the company realized that instead of supporting farmers abroad as they buy their beans from them, they have partnered with DA and LGU for the propagation and developing of more coffee farms in the region.
Buying price of Robusta coffee is at P90 to P120 per kilo of the Class A type.
However, Provido said the reason coffee farms here cannot meet the demand is because of low production yield where on the average a hectare is supposed to yield at one ton, farmers' produce per hectare is only pegged at 600 kilos per hectare per year.
She said 70 percent of the coffee trees need rejuvenation as majority of these are about 35 to 40 years old. Poor production management and adaptation of new technologies are reasons that contribute to low production.
Meanwhile, the Arabica project is now being finalized with Rocky Mountain as they intend to develop some 100 hectares of coffee farms.
The DA, she said will match the coverage of the company by also targeting also the number of hectares that Rocky Mountain will develop.
Provido said Rocky Mountain will put in investments as well as processing facilities even as she said aside from providing the market with supply of raw materials, they also have plans of exporting the beans.
She said the company specified that it wants to invest in areas covered by IPs as they also would want to support the livelihood of farmers. (PNA)
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