By Jenifer Catan-Tilos
DUMAGUETE CITY, Negros Oriental (PIA) — Bukidnon tribe leader Eric Eleccion of Mag-uumang Lumad Bukidnon sa Barangay Masulog (MLBM) in Canlaon City thanked the government for giving their group the opportunity to learn new farming techniques under the Coffee Farm-to-Cup training by the local government.
The 92-member MLBM has been planting coffee for 11 years now.
However, Eleccion admitted that due to inadequate knowledge and technology, their production has suffered.
“Kami nga tribu sa Bukidnon nalipay mi ug dako nga nakaapil niniing training kay syempre dako mig dugan kahibalo para sa among komunidad, sa among pagka IP dako sab nig makatabang sa amo na grupo,” Eric said.
(We, the Bukidnon tribe, are happy to be part of this training as this will add to our knowledge for the community, and being an IP, this will also help us as a group.)
Currently, the IPs (indigenous people) have five hectares of Robusta coffee farm.
The farm used to be 14 hectares but it was reduced after typhoon Odette (international name Rai) struck the country, which resulted in a low buying price in the market.
“Karon gitabangan mi sa LGU (local government unit). Nalipay mig dako na at least kon naay mi produkto na kape naa mi kabaligyaan, nalipay mig dako naay intervention ingon ani but kinahanglan mi ug ayuda sa LGU sama sa seeds o binhi, and equipment,” said Eric.
(Now that the LGU has assisted us, we are so glad that at least our coffee product will be sold. We are also glad for this kind of intervention, but we need assistance from the LGU such as seeds and equipment.)
Teodoro Mission, 52, president of Malaiba Agro-Forestry Farmer and Workers Association (MAFWA), also thanked the Canlaon LGU for giving them the chance to look for coffee buyers.
“Matudloan pa mi ug insaktong pamaagi para motaas ang kalidad sa among kape,” added Mission.
(We are also taught how we can improve the quality of our coffee.)
Although MAFWA has 252 members, only 17 of them are into coffee planting due to the low buying price, lack of market assurance, and the lengthy process.
The group has been planting coffee since 2013 under the National Greening Program as part of their agroforestry livelihood.
“Mas nindot kay natudloan mi sa processo sa pagtanum then pag harvest, mas nindot ni sya kon ma process ug maayo ang kape para taas ang iyahang value or presyo sa kape sa merkado,” said Mission.
(This is better now that we are taught the proper way to plant and harvest. This is also better if the coffee is processed properly to increase the value and price of coffee in the market.)
Mission has sold coffee at P300 per kilo to business owner Lanz Mirondo, who also volunteered to train the coffee farmer-organizations in Canlaon City.
The buying price before was only P120 or less.
“Mas na encourage mi motanum kay nakita namo ang potential diay ang kape dasun kon dako iyahang kalidad sa kape mo mahal jud ang presyo,” said Mission.
(We are encouraged to plant more as we see the potential in coffee. The better the quality, the higher we can sell it for.)
The training on right processing of coffee beans from harvesting to drying and preparation for roasting was conducted by the Canlaon City, provincial government, and Negros Oriental Hotel Resort and Restaurant Association (NOHRRA).
The three coffee farmer organizations, including the Pula Agro-Forestry Farmers and Workers Association with 300 members, are now motivated to produce more premium quality coffee that can command higher prices in the market.
Mirondo, who owns Triad Coffee Roaster, said that together with the LGUs, the training also aims for the farmers to learn the right processing if they want to increase the quality of their coffee and demand a good price in the market from P500 to P800.
“The quality of coffee plays an important role in increasing the price, and there is a potential to improve the coffee industry in the province,” said Mirondo.
The training also aims to increase productivity and pricing in the market for the farmers with the support of the government by providing them with a processing area, warehouse, equipment, dryers, and mentors.
With the existing coffee farms in Canlaon City where Kanlaon Volcano is located, it has a great potential for coffee farming because of its fertile soil.
Canlaon City councilor Angel Amador-Soliva, chair of the Committee on Tourism, Culture and the Arts, said the city is developing a farm tourism circuit to offer more activities to tourists.
“We help the farmers to connect to the right buyers in the market while providing or support some farm implements,” said Soliva.
The LGU is now considering providing more seminars, benchmarking, farm tours, as well as providing more facilities and funds for the coffee farmers, said Soliva.
PIA- NegOr Infocen Blog 