BUTUAN CITY -- The members of the Durian Farmers’ Association (DUFA) from Brgy. Durian, Las Nieves, Agusan del Norte are now seeing healthier new verticals of their coffee trees after the implementation of the Consultancy for Agricultural Productivity Extension (CAPE) program, initiated by the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Caraga, thru the Provincial Science and Technology Center (PSTC) of Agusan del Norte. 

The program assisted a total of 15 coffee farmers with more than 40 hectares of coffee plantation in total, multi-cropped with other plant commodities. 

Due to inaccessibility, these farmers have been using traditional practices in maintaining their coffee trees, without having sufficient knowledge on the appropriate science and technology-based methods of effectively cultivating a coffee plantation. Coffee trees were infested with pests, with no proper plantation maintenance which significantly decreased the production of quality green coffee beans. 

The area is also affected by existing armed conflicts, which greatly hampered their sustainable livelihood opportunities and the community’s economic potentials on coffee production and processing. 

Thru the CAPE program, DUFA members were provided with technical interventions through the conduct of series of consultation activities which started in November 2020 and concluded in June 2021. Interventions included trainings on good agricultural practices, plantation rejuvenation, control measures, maintenance of coffee trees, and farm management to help decrease infestation and eventually improve the production of quality green coffee beans. 

The team of Balahay Coffee Pro’s Roastery and Consultancy headed by Mark Anthony Balahay served as the consultant for this engagement. 

With the community’s interest and acceptance of the S&T interventions, farmers have successfully rejuvenated their coffee trees which are now becoming healthier and are continuously producing new verticals. These improvements show an expected increase in yield in the next coming harvest seasons. In addition, the creation of the farmers’ Goal Action Plan served as a clear guide for the farmworkers and increased the efficiency of the farms’ operation. 

DOST Caraga, thru PSTC – Agusan del Norte headed by Provincial S&T Director Meriam B. Bouquia, will continue monitoring the impact of the CAPE interventions, with the cooperation of the association and the entire barangay.

A coffee processing facility will also be established by the DOST in the community that will soon produce quality coffee products using locally harvested green beans. (DOST Agusan del Norte/PIA Agusan del Norte)