Sarangani creates coffee and cacao councils

 

GENERAL SANTOS CITY, Feb. 19 -- The Department of Trade Industry (DTI)-Sarangani in partnership with the Provincial Government conducted the Joint Provincial Cacao and Coffee Industry Development Council Oath taking ceremony Tuesday at East Asia Royale Hotel here.

Sarangani Governor Steve Chiongbian Solon administered the virtual oath-taking participated by coffee and cacao stakeholders from the different municipalities of the province.

The newly formed Sarangani Coffee Industry Development Council (SCoIDC) and Sarangani Cacao Industry Development Council (SCaIDC) are expected to help boost the coffee and cacao industries in the province.

Last year, Governor Steve Chiongbian Solon signed Executive Order Nos. 21 and 21-A series of 2020, which helped the creation of the two councils.

According to the EO, the coffee and cacao councils are expected to: (1) Formulate the Provincial Coffee and Cacao Industry Development Plan for Sarangani Province; (2) Recommend policies and programs towards promoting and sustaining the provincial coffee and cacao industry; (3) Harmonize all coffee and cacao related programs, projects, activities and any other intervention through convergence of all related projects; and (4) Externally sourced-out other resources and build network that support coffee and cacao industries’ development.

"There is a need to coordinate, consolidate and harmonize efforts, set over-all policy direction and rationalize program/activities/projects (PAPs), thereby maximize benefits from various emerging development interventions from government agencies and the private sector towards promoting, strengthening, and sustaining the growth of coffee and cacao industries in Sarangani Province,” the EO said.

The two councils, it added, are organized to address these concerns.

Meanwhile, DTI-Sarangani Division Chief Eddie de Asis expressed hope that the newly formed councils will continue to prosper even after the Rural Agro-enterprise Partnership for Inclusive Development (RAPID Growth) project ends.

The RAPID Growth project of DTI which was funded by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) aims to increase the income level of small farmers and unemployed rural women and men across selected agri-based value chain. Aside from coffee and cocoa, the RAPID Growth project also helps the coconut and processed fruits and nuts industries.

"The way things are turning out right now, I have high hopes for these two councils," De Asis said. (Genory Vanz Alfasain, contributor)

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This article is originally published on Philippine Information Agency website