THE Department of Agriculture (DA) said it is seeking to work with the coffee industry to improve crop yields and climate adaptability.
“We must rely on partnerships among multiple stakeholders to establish resilient and sustainable coffee value chains that support growers,” Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel, Jr. said in a statement on Tuesday.
He noted that the coffee yield improvement program is being conducted by Nestlé S.A., the German government, and the DA.
The DA said that the project targets coffee yields of 2 metric tons (MT) per hectare by 2025.
The program has resulted in the growth of coffee communities in Bukidnon and Sultan Kudarat, now with 3,000 members.
“This collaboration has resulted in better bean quality and an increased average yield of up to 0.8 MT per hectare, up from a low of 0.3 MT. Consequently, farmers’ incomes have risen by 35% or more in some areas,” Mr. Laurel said.
Citing the Philippine Coffee Board, the Philippines produced 30,000 MT of green coffee beans in 2023, up slightly from a year prior.
The DA has distributed P6.5 million worth of assistance, including fertilizer and funding to establish coffee centers, to 16 farmers’ groups participating in the Mindanao Coffee Robusta Project. — Adrian H. Halili