BY LEANDER C. DOMINGO
KASIBU, Nueva Vizcaya: The Didipio Mine here is helping coffee farmers boost the industry by extending financial assistance and capacitating particularly the farmer-members of a coffee growers cooperative here.
Didipio Mine president and general manager for external affairs and social performance Joan Adaci-Cattiling said the mine partnered with the Department of Trade and Industry to provide training to coffee growers.
She said the recent capacity-building activity for members of the Kasibu Coffee Growers Association, Inc. (KCGAI) was mainly on coffee post-harvest operations.
Under the 𝐆𝐨𝐥𝐝𝐞𝐧 𝐅𝐮𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐀𝐠𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 project, Cattiling added that Didipio Mine and KCGAI have realier forged an agreement for a P2.5 million pesos financial assistance.
“This project is under the Didipio Mine’s corporate social responsibility or CSR program aimed at contributing to the association’s community, financial and organizational sustainability,” she said.
Cattiling said the project intends to assist coffee farmers in monitoring and managing their crops as well as provide them with technical assistance.
“It will also cover the establishment and maintenance of a nursery, building the capacity of the association’s farmer-members, and regular monitoring of the coffee farms,” she said.
According to Cattiling, the acquisition of needed machinery, tools, and equipment; the augmentation of fertilizer needs of farmers; and the provision of coffee trees and other tropical trees are also covered by the agreement.