A total of 109 cacao farmers from the southern region of Mindanao, Philippines have graduated the Farmer’s Field School—marking the conclusion of the Cacao Productivity and Profitability (Cacao Pro), a two-year public-private partnership project under the DeveloPPP Program of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, implemented by the Asia Society for Social Improvement and Sustainable Transformation and Yara Fertilizers Philippines, Inc.
The Farmer’s Field School is a two-pronged training program under the Cacao Pro which aims to support cacao farmers from Davao and Caraga Regions in improving the quantity and quality of their harvests through sustainable agricultural practices.
“This is just the start of what we can do. The potential is great, and we are keen to continue our efforts through research and dialogue [with the farmers] so we can improve our service to the cacao industry,” Nicholas Gan, Country Manager of Yara Fertilizers Philippines, Inc. on their commitment to the Cacao farmers.
The graduation ceremony which was held last September 4, 2019 in Tagum City, Davao del Norte saw graduates receiving their diploma. “Apart from gaining new knowledge and skills, being a cacao specialist has helped me find additional source of income. Just recently, I was hired as a consultant and trainer for a local social enterprise based in Davao City, and as a farm manager of various cacao farms in Compostela Valley and Agusan del Sur,” said Evangeline Toong, one of the successful graduates.
