DOLE supports Negros Occidental coffee growers with livelihood project
The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Regional Office VI has infused support into the burgeoning local coffee industry in Negros Occidental, enhancing opportunities for Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries and small-scale coffee producers through its Integrated Livelihood Project (DILP).
The initiative follows the Philippine Coffee Quality Competition (PCQC) awarding a “fine” grade to robusta coffee known as Carmen’s Brew, produced by Ms. Carmen Gonzales from Brgy. Cabadiangan, Himamaylan City.
This recognition has elevated the local coffee to global markets, increasing sales opportunities and paving the way for higher pricing options for local farmers.
“Due to its potential, Ms. Gonzales has found the need to find an additional source of raw materials to meet the market demands both locally and abroad,” accoridng to the DOLE-6 press statement.
To help bridge the anticipated gap in raw materials and ensure the maintenance of quality, DOLE-6, in collaboration with the Negros Occidental Field Office, has granted livelihood assistance to the Tongo Integrated Farmers Association (TIFA).
TIFA members, who are beneficiaries of land under the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) previously owned by the Gonzales family, cultivate the land with coffee beans, bananas, and sweet potatoes.
The area under cultivation includes eight hectares for coffee, yielding 24 tons annually, and 115 hectares for banana and sweet potato plantations, producing 120 tons per hectare of bananas and 125 tons per hectare of sweet potatoes annually.
To support continuous production and quality, DOLE RO 6 has released PHP1 million for the “Integrated Processing of Coffee and Banana/Sweet Potato Chips Livelihood Project.” This funding has been allocated for purchasing quality coffee beans and the necessary machinery and equipment for production.
“This project aims to increase the income of the beneficiaries by adding value to their harvests, sustain self-employment opportunities, put up savings for the association to expand and venture out to other income-generating projects, and to improve the quality of life of the beneficiaries,” said DOLE-6 Regional Director Atty. Sixto T. Rodriguez, Jr.
Thanks to DOLE’s assistance, the fragrance of freshly ground coffee from Himamaylan City will soon grace coffee shops both domestically and internationally, signifying a leap forward for local agriculture and sustainable livelihoods in the region.
