Las Nieves, Agusan del Norte — To enhance public awareness of government-led agricultural projects and their impact on local communities, the Department of Agriculture’s Philippine Rural Development Project (DA-PRDP) Information, Advocacy, Communication, and Education (InfoACE) unit led an expository tour for fourteen media partners on November 6-7, 2024. The tour offered a glimpse into the positive outcomes of the DA-PRDP’s subprojects across the Caraga region, with a key visit to the Green Coffee Beans Production and Marketing subproject in Las Nieves.
The coffee subproject, managed by the Casiklan Wheels Farmers Association Inc. (CAWFAI), has been pivotal in promoting sustainable coffee production and bolstering income for the local community. CAWFAI Officers and Members welcomed the media delegation, sharing insights into how the subproject has helped boost their enterprise and improve their production capabilities.
During the tour, participants were guided through the coffee production process, from coffee cherries to the final brew, giving them an in-depth view of the skills and care required in crafting high-quality Robusta coffee. In addition to explaining the production stages, CAWFAI members highlighted the impact of the DA-PRDP initiative, including an increase in coffee yield, improved market access, and the potential for economic growth within their community.
The DA-PRDP InfoACE team emphasized that the tour was a vital opportunity for media partners to observe firsthand the success stories emerging from the project’s subprojects. Through interactions with CAWFAI members, media representatives gained insights into the association’s best practices in quality coffee production, their strategic approaches to managing resources, and their ambitious plans for future expansion.
As DA-PRDP continues to invest in agricultural projects across the Philippines, initiatives like these media tours aim to bridge the gap between rural farming communities and the public, fostering a greater understanding of the essential role of agriculture in the nation’s economic development.
