Stakeholders Validate Cordillera Coffee Development Plan
Vol. XVIII No. 7 (Nov. 22-28, 2014)
BAGUIO CITY -Coffee stakeholders validated the Cordillera Coffee Development Plan to strengthen the promotion of coffee as the regional product during a workshop coordinated by NEDA-CAR last October 20.
The stakeholders include coffee growers, millers, traders and exporters, specialty shop owners and retailers, regional agencies, local government units (LGUs), state universities & colleges (SUCs), and research and development organizations.
Issues on production, standardization of quality, farm gate prices, profit of farmers and accessibility shall be addressed by the Plan through different programs and strategies. These programs include Coffee Production and Marketing Programs, Infrastructure and Equipment Support, Coffee Research and Development and Extension, Training Programs, Strengthening of Coffee Councils, shared service facilities and cross visits to local coffee growers.
The Cordillera Coffee Development Plan will be finalized this November by a technical working group headed by Highland Agriculture and Resources Research and Development Consortium (HARRDEC). It will go through further review by the Secretariat, the Agriculture and Economic Development Committees, and will finally be reviewed and adopted by the Regional Development Council (RDC).
Depending on the outcome of the review, the Regional Coffee Council, composed of representatives from different agencies, may be created/re-activated to ensure the effectiveness of the implementation of the Plan. The Council shall be the overall coordinator, and will be responsible for planning and harmonizing various coffee policies, programs and projects.
Consequently, a study on accreditation or certification and standardization will be undertaken.
The RDC, through the Agriculture Committee, shall assess the effectiveness of the Plan particularly if the Plan’s development objectives are being met.
NEDA-CAR Director Milagros Rimando led the workshop crafting the Cordillera Coffee Development Plan.
The workshop was also intended to draw local knowledge and commitment to ensure that the Plan reflects the stakeholders’ needs and priorities as well as their engagement during the plan implementation.
The Agriculture Committee of the RDC has initiated the creation of the Cordillera Coffee Development Plan through HARRDEC, which conducted various assessment and planning workshops since 2013.
In 1990s, the coffee production in the country declined by 37%. In 2013, the region produced 5.46 metric tons of coffee which contributed 6.5% of the country’s coffee production. The region produced the most in 2001 with seven metric tons. The region also has a comparative advantage for Arabica variety production./NEDA-CAR
