The Department of Science and Technology-Siquijor Provincial Science and Technology Center (DOST-PSTC) provides anew Consultancy for Agricultural Productivity Enhance (CAPE) program by putting in place another prospect of three additional cacao farms for consultancy in 2022.
In 2021, DOST unlocked a treat of its CAPE program to two cacao farms in Siquijor.
The previous years were an introduction of said consultancy on mango farms which yielded positive impact on mango growers’ harvest as well as on the establishment of a steady market of mangoes in the province.
CAPE Consultant Christopher Fadriga was commissioned by DOST as an expert to undertake productivity studies on cacao farms, namely Espina Cacao Farm in Sabang, Larena and Panganoron Cacao Farm in Upper Tigbawan, Lazi.
DOST Siquijor Provincial Science and Technology Director Engr. Mario de la Peńa (L) in an ocular inspection in Panganoron Cacao Farm in Upper Tigbawan, Lazi, Siquijor. (DOST Siquijor)
After a series of technical assessments, the two farms have been undergoing remedial measures.
In Espina Cacao Farm, the owner started to provide a favorable environment to cacao seedlings by planting Madre de Cacao to create a casting of partial shade and to serve as windbreaker.
It also improved the fertility of the soil and its leaves can be processed into insecticides.
Some recommendations include periodic application of both chemical and organic fertilizer and ring weeding.
For Panganoron Cacao Farm, the owner has started mitigating the presence of fungus that causes pod rot by applying a method of preventive spraying of CARTAP.
Ring weeding has been done, too, and a cacao heirloom nursery for criollo mother plants has been established.
DOST Siquijor PSTC Director Engr. Mario de la Peńa said it is a matter of time that the success mango growers have experienced in Siquijor because DOST’s CAPE program will also be the same as with cacao growers.
With the infusion of technical advisory from Fadriga, there is no reason why a sustainable farming and production of cacao in the province would not be achieved, he said.
DOST would not stop intervening, as this year, a prospect of three additional cacao farms is in place for consultancy.
With DOST, cacao has a bright future along the path of agricultural productivity, he said. (PR/Jose Aldous Rubi Arbon II, DOST Siquijor)
DOST Siquijor Provincial Science and Technology Director Engr. Mario de la Pena in an ocular inspection at the Espina Cacao Farm in Sabang, Larena, Siquijor. (DOST Siquijor)
