Department of Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr. emphasizes the importance of collaboration for collective action to enhance farmers’ resilience and profitability is essential.
“This approach must define and characterize our united front in addressing current challenges and also to take advantage of increasing local market demand for coffee,” he said during his visit to the Northern Mindanao Agricultural Crops and Livestock Research Complex, which hosts Nestlé Philippines’ Bukidnon Integrated Coffee Center.
During the visit, Secretary Tiu Laurel distributed P6.5 million worth of assistance, including fertilizers and funding for the establishment of coffee centers, to 16 farmers’ groups participating in the Mindanao Coffee Robusta Project. He expressed gratitude to Mindanao coffee farmers for their resilience and pledged the government’s support for “the real but unsung heroes” of the Philippine coffee industry.
With rising global demand for coffee, the DA chief emphasized the urgency of fostering broader, multi-agency partnerships. He expressed optimism that this collaboration between the government and the private sector could help the Philippines set benchmarks for coffee production excellence. ### (photos by Jay Morales, DA-OSEC)
