By Sam Ramos
The Department of Agriculture (DA) Region 11 (Davao) has called on farmers to adopt intercropping of high-value crops like coffee, cacao, and coconut to increase income and boost sustainable agricultural practices.
During the two-day Mindanao-wide Coconut Farmer Cooperative Summit held at the SMX Convention Center on Nov. 25-26, DA-11 Regional Director Macario Gonzaga emphasized the role of the National Program on Intercropping Cacao and Coffee in the Coconut Farmers Industry Development Plan (CFIDP).
“This initiative aims to provide smallholder coconut farmers and their families with sustainable employment and additional income sources by integrating coffee and cacao cultivation into coconut farming,” Gonzaga said.
The CFIDP focuses on modernizing the coconut sector while improving farm productivity and livelihoods through programs such as the Coconut-Based Coffee and/or Cacao Enterprise Development Project (C3EDP). The project integrates coffee and cacao farming with coconut cultivation, providing farmers with diversified income streams and maximizing land use.
Under the High-Value Crops Development Program (HVCDP), the DA plans to rehabilitate or rejuvenate 2 million coffee trees and 3 million cacao trees intercropped with coconuts. The program also aims to expand intercropping across 5,000 hectares for coffee and 7,300 hectares for cacao in priority areas.
To support this initiative, 223 nurseries will be established to produce 10,000 seedlings annually, ensuring a steady supply of high-quality planting materials for farmers.
The summit also highlighted innovations in coconut, coffee, and cacao by-products, showcasing value-added products from farmer cooperatives across Mindanao.
Participants included representatives from coconut farmer cooperatives, CFIDP implementing agencies, the Cooperative Development Authority, local government units, and local and international partners.