THE Department of Agriculture IV-CALABARZON (DA-4A) High Value Crops Development Program (HVCDP) conducted a training on Soil and Fertilizer Management and Pest and Diseases Management in Coffee Production for coffee farmers of Guinayangan, Quezon on June 8.
The participants for the training were the Asosasyon ng Responsableng, Magkakape (AROMA) and Guinayangan Coffee Farmers Entrepreneur (G-KAPE).
The said training will help the participants determine the nutrient status and other soil fertility limiting factors and common coffee pest and diseases that affect the quality of coffee beans.
DA-4A HVCDP aims to improve the yield of the participants and the quality of their coffee beans on existing coffee trees through proper management and fertilizer.
The training consisted of lectures about soil sampling, soil nutrient management, coffee pests and diseases and control management, and coffee tree rejuvenation.
“Mahalaga po ang ganitong training para hindi lang natin iisipin na magkaroon ng ani at kita, kundi hahangarin natin na magkaroon ng mataas na ani at kita. Pero ‘wag lang tayong mag-focus sa dami [ng ani]. Mahalaga rin pong matutuhan natin kung paano magkakaroon ng magandang coffee beans. ‘Pag quality ang kape, mataas ang possibility na tumagal tayo sa industriya,” Julius Dahil, provincial focal person, said.
“Matagal na naming hinihintay ang ganitong training. Kailangan po talaga ng ganito lalo na sa aming nagsisimula from scratch at walang masyadong knowledge. Mas naging malinaw ang mga dapat naming gawin,” Jeanna A. Victor, new robusta and liberica coffee farmer, said.
DA-4A HVCDP also distributed a total of P30,000 worth of interventions that consist of 20 pieces of pruning shear and one unit of grasscutter to the coffee farmers of Guinayangan during the training.
The same training will also be conducted in Amadeo, Silang, and Mendez, Cavite; Pangil and San Pablo, Laguna; Nasugbu and San Juan, Batangas; Dolores, Candelaria, and Sariaya, Quezon.|- rfl, bnn
