Carmen Agriculture Office Partners USM on Organic Coffee, Cacao Training

Kabacan, Cotabato—To strengthen local capacity in sustainable agriculture, the Office of the Municipal Agriculturist of Carmen tapped the University of Southern Mindanao (USM) to provide a lecture and venue for specialized training on organic coffee and cacao production and management on April 15, 2025, at USM, Kabacan.

The requested training aims to equip farmers, agricultural technicians, and local entrepreneurs with best practices and essential knowledge in sustainable coffee and cacao farming. Topics include soil management, pest control, post-harvest processing, and value chain enhancement.

The training was facilitated by Mr. Rezin C. Cabantug and Ms. Sheena Lucena–both USM Science Research Specialists, as requested by the Local Government Unit (LGU) of Carmen. Twenty-five organic farmers and farm owners participated in a field demonstration on the proper maintenance, propagation, and post-harvest processing of organic coffee and cacao. The participants engaged in hands-on activities covering correct crop propagation, fertilization practices, pruning and sleaving techniques, and post-production methods.

As part of the training, they also visited the Rubber-Based Cacao System (RBCS) site, where they learned about intercropping methods and how these can enhance farm productivity.

Mrs. Judilyn B. Española, Organic Agriculture Focal Person of the Office of the Municipal Agriculturist, shared that the training aims to provide farmers with much-needed knowledge and practical inputs to address low production in the field.

“Our farmers are facing major production challenges due to limited knowledge in crop management, that’s why we partnered with USM—to help them learn proper techniques in managing their cacao and coffee farms,” she said.

The training concluded with an open forum, where participants shared insights, raised questions, and clarified techniques discussed during the sessions.

This initiative marks another step in fostering collaboration between academic institutions and local government units in advancing sustainable and inclusive agricultural development in Region XII.