Even with the growing interest and an increasing demand for cacao products, ongoing pandemic and threat of climate change significantly limit cacao production and cause great loss in yield.
With science and technology intervention, chocolate can always be a delicious cure.
To address this problem, the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST-PCAARRD) partnered with the De La Salle University (DLSU) in a five-day online training-workshop titled, “Strengthening Sustainable Cacao Farming System in the Philippines in Response to Climate Change and in the midst of Pandemic.”
The course was designed to enhance understanding of cacao farming stakeholders (agricultural technicians, academe, farmers, and private institution representatives) on sustainable cacao farming and assurance of mitigating the effects of climate change in the midst of a pandemic. The training tackled climate change’s potential effect on cacao production and climate change mitigation using biological and ecological approaches. The online training also aimed to further develop the cacao industry through science-based solutions and innovations.
Dr. Divina Amalin, professor and head of the Biological Control Research Unit of De La Salle University (DLSU-BCRU), served as overall training facilitator. Her team gave lectures and demos on cacao production, processing, marketing, pest management, and rehabilitation to 34 participants from state universities and colleges (SUCs), government agencies, farmer cooperatives, and private institutions.
Junas Araya, a participant from the Department of Agriculture in Zamboanga Sibugay, appreciated DOST-PCAARRD and DLSU’ for the useful lectures for the growing number of cacao farmers in Zamboanga. He said that he will share the learnings with cacao farmers in the area and also apply them in their farms.
Ms. Zarina Luneta, a cacao farmer from Candelaria, Quezon, appreciated the efforts of DOST-PCAARRD and DLSU for the continuous support and monitoring of their farms from planting to postharvest processing.
Another participant, Roland Bayron from the University of Southeastern Philippines (USeP), said that the training-workshop was very informative. The knowledge on cacao pests and diseases prevention and control and on cacao post-harvest processing was very enlightening.
Cacao is one of the priority crops under the DOST-PCAARRD’s Industry Strategic Science and Technology Programs (ISPs).