More farmers in Ilocos Norte are looking forward to diversifying their crops and increasing income with coconut and coffee-making, a perfect combination for an integrated farming system.
Both considered as high-value crops, coconut and coffee production is being promoted among Ilocos farmers to take advantage of the global demand for these products.
Targeting the vast highlands of Pagudpud in the northernmost part of Ilocos Norte, which has a total land area of around 19,564 hectares suited for a coconut-coffee farming system, the Agriculture Training Institute (ATI) and the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) teamed up to help farmers boost their production of hybrid seed nuts as well as high yielding varieties of coffee.
In a media interview Tuesday, PCA Ilocos Norte chief engineer Rose Anne Cabaloan said PCA and ATI will be conducting trainings on coconut and coffee farming systems in Barangay Saguigui, Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte on Dec. 18-22.
“The program is part of the government’s effort to revitalize the coconut industry as it aims to increase the income and productivity of our coconut farmers,” she said.
The five-day training will cover a series of lectures where participants are expected to learn the steps and requirements in coconut and coffee production such as site selection, soil sampling and analysis, selecting quality planting materials, land preparation and postharvest practices.
Around 55,000 high-yielding seed nuts were earlier delivered in Ilocos Norte for the establishment of a coconut nursery at the Ilocos Norte Agricultural College (INAC) in Pasuquin, Ilocos Norte.
Next to Indonesia, the Philippines is the world’s second largest coconut producer of coconut exports, which include crude and refined coconut oil, desiccated coconut, copra meal and coconut water.
With favorable weather, Pagudpud town has been identified as one of the suitable sites for coconut and coffee growing.
Its neighboring town of Adams is also adopting a coconut-cacao farming system to further boost the agriculture sector. (PNA)
