BY ARNELYN L. LAPATIS & MEKYLA JANE TICAR/CMU Interns
THE DAVAO Regional Coffee Council is intensifying efforts to develop the industry by connecting consumers with farmers and expanding plantation areas.
During the PEP Talks on Friday, July 10, Gerome Sumagaysay, a representative from the Davao Regional Coffee Council, highlighted that the region is pushing for transparency in coffee production through the Davao Coffee Tour.
“Transparency is a factor in how a coffee is appreciated. The Davao Coffee Tour will give an opportunity for awareness to our consumers. They always ask kasi why our coffee is expensive, but then, they don’t know the process of coffee, so it’s very unappreciative to some people,” Sumagaysay explained.
Sumagaysay also said that marketing Davao coffee could attract more investors, leading to long-term economic benefits and helping empower farmers across the region.
“[It boosts] the market. Then, this will also give us more investors. More investors mean more quality of production, and more production means more livelihood, and then we can empower our farmers,” he added.
However, Sumagaysay said the country continues to face a shortage of local coffee supply. So, the government intends to develop more coffee farms to address the shortage.
“The High Value Crops Development Program plans to expand the dedicated coffee farms into 20,000, I think,” Sumagaysay said.
Sumagaysay also highlighted the role of the Regional Coffee Innovation Center, led by the Department of Agriculture (DA), in improving coffee quality through research and training.
“We are now experimenting with fermentation, which could enhance and customize the flavor of your coffee. They also teach roasting to farmers, where it would add great value to their coffee, unlike selling their coffee beans alone. Farmers are trained to roast beans and conduct cupping sessions,” he said.
Marie Ann Magno Constantino , DA XI regional technical director, confirmed the agency’s leadership in the initiative, like it’s partnership with the Davao del Sur State College, for instance.
“The project that he was telling us about is a partner agency led by the DA in coordination with the DSSC. That is one way of educating our people, educating our young ones, about what is in the coffee and how to come up with the better or the best coffee,” Constantino said.
