Agri dep’t sets eyes on cacao

The Department of Agriculture (DA) is focusing on revitalizing the local cacao industry through its High Value Crops and Development Program (HVCDP) and other operating units.

Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu P. Laurel, Jr. emphasized the importance of this initiative during his visit to the Filipinas Cacao Heritage Reserve on March 5, 2024. He noted that some cacao trees are being cut due to low profits for farmers, who lack knowledge on processing cacao after harvesting.

The Department aims to revive the cacao industry, supporting 74,428 Filipino cacao farmers as per March 6, 2024 data from the DA-Registry System for Basic Sectors in Agriculture (RSBSA).

Key initiatives of the HVCDP include providing cacao planting materials and farm inputs, conducting capacity-building programs for cacao farmers and extension workers, establishing cacao technology demonstration sites, distributing farm machinery and equipment, and constructing irrigation facilities.

Secretary Tiu Laurel and Israeli Ambassador Ilan Fluss visited a 13-hectare cacao farmland in Barangay Bunggo, Calamba, Laguna, where they observed best agricultural practices and innovations for the local cacao industry.

The Filipinas Cacao Heritage Reserve, a 13-hectare cacao farmland in Barangay Bunggo, has partnered with the Embassy of Israel in the Philippines since 2022 for technical assistance. The farm employs a team of Filipino experts under Israeli mentorship in cacao production.

The collaboration has led to the successful rehabilitation and revival of a 90-year-old Criollo cacao tree in Barangay Bunggo, now serving as the farm’s source of planting materials.

During the Secretary’s visit, both Filipino and Israeli teams demonstrated integrated pest management techniques, drip irrigation facilities, weather monitoring systems, cacao breeding and grafting initiatives, composting practices, and other Israeli practices and technologies applied in the cacao farm.

Farm owner Jacqueline Sy Go shared her belief that this partnership between Israel and the Philippines will bring about changes in Philippine farming, not just in cacao but also in other crops, potentially serving as a catalyst for broader agricultural improvements in the country.