Tagbina farmers receive P9M worth of coffee enterprise
Under the Department of Agriculture (DA) Philippine Rural Development Project (PRDP), with the provision of resources like solar dryers, trucks, and additional capital, coupled with the adoption of good practices, SANIDECO and its cluster members are well-positioned to improve the quality and quantity of green coffee beans.
The collaborative efforts of the local government officials and agencies, such as the municipal agriculturist and those from the Department of Trade and Industry, who provided support and motivated the cooperatives in taking ownership of the subproject have contributed to the successful implementation of the project.
SANIDECO Chairperson Gemma A. Pangan shared that the interventions, coupled with the good practices the cooperative learned and adopted, resulted in the production of good-quality green coffee beans.
‘This has increased the price of our coffee, motivating our farmer-members to produce more,’ Pangan said.
In addition, SANIDECO Manager Liezel F. Chavaria is hopeful to expand its business operations, envisioning its growth to a medium enterprise in the next five years.
Municipal Agriculturist Warlito D. Untua, on the other hand, encouraged the cooperatives to take ownership and take care of the subproject so that the future generations of coffee farmers may still enjoy its benefits.
Nichoel Talatala shared, “The project implementation will develop Surigao del Sur’s coffee industry by addressing constraints in production. The cooperative will consolidate the products of four cluster members in Tagbina namely, the Doña Carmen Multi-Purpose Cooperative (DCMPC) in Brgy. Doña Carmen, the Greenfield Farmers Association (GFA) in Brgy. Sta. Juana, the Hinagdanan – Soriano Farmers Association (HiSoFA) in Brgy. Hinagdanan and the Maglatab Farmers Association in Brgy. Maglatab.”
The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Provincial Dir. Romel M. Oribe emphasized that SANIDECO's farmer-members are no longer just producers of raw agricultural goods. Instead, they are now being viewed and trained as entrepreneurs who manage a business. This shift manifested that farmers will engage in activities beyond mere production, such as processing, marketing, and value addition, enhancing their roles and contributions to the agricultural value chain.
Oribe further stressed the importance of viewing development through an industry lens, where the focus is on creating robust, interconnected industries rather than supporting isolated, individual organizations. This means fostering collaboration, innovation, and sustainable practices across the entire industry to drive comprehensive economic growth.
Also in attendance at the ceremony were Assistant Provincial Administrator Juliet F. Perez, IREAP Component Head Lynn A. Pareñas, Executive Assistant Arturo B. Espenilla, Jr., Punong Barangay Cesario A. Quirequire, and a representative from the Department of Science and Technology (DOST). (PIA-Surigao del Sur)
