DA-10, Nestlé Phl strengthen partnership for NorMin coffee industry dev’t

MALAYBALAY CITY, BUKIDNON – To accelerate the coffee industry in Northern Mindanao, the Department of Agriculture – Regional Field Office 10 (DA-RFO 10) collaborates with Nestlé Philippines, Inc. for a Development Workshop held from May 11 to 12, at Northern Mindanao Agricultural Crops and Livestock Research Complex (NMACLRC), here.

The two-day workshop gathered representatives from DA-10, Nestlé Philippines and other stakeholders to discuss collaborative plans and define roles and responsibilities under the proposed partnership aimed to craft a memorandum of agreement (MOA) between the two institutions.

During the activity, participants tackled the Bukidnon Integrated Coffee Center (BICC) expansion and coffee development initiatives for Region 10 that aims to strengthen market access and increase farmers’ productivity and income.

The BICC is a training and research facility established by DA-10 and Nestlé Philippines, located in NMACLRC, which serves as a central hub for implementing the Nescafé Plan, offering TESDA-certified training in modern coffee production, sustainability, and agri-preneurship to farmers.

Nestlé Philippines committed to support capacity-building activities on nursery management, while DA-10 likewise highlighted digital agriculture and mapping initiatives that will support the coffee industry. This includes the development of a Digital Agricultural Information System featuring coffee land use maps, soil suitability maps, and a geotagging system to guide stakeholders on appropriate coffee varieties to plant.

Through the partnership, DA-10 and Nestlé Philippines aim to further position Northern Mindanao as a key coffee-producing region in the country while creating more opportunities for local coffee farmers and communities.# (AMBM)