How to replicate the sweet success of PH cacao

To promote private sector leadership needed in agriculture transformation, we must identify models to replicate for other key agriculture commodities. One successful model was already done in the cacao industry.

Last July 14, Department of Trade and Industry Undersecretary Blesila Lantayona described the Philippine Cacao Industry Association (PCIA) as the private sector arm of the public-private Philippine Cacao Industry Council (PCIC). The PCIA members have been actively working with the PCIC in the implementation of its projects, activities and programs.

Background

During a previous administration, the Department of Agriculture (DA) identified cacao as one of its key high-value crops. However, there was no unity among the private sector stakeholders. Consequently, in August 2015, the PCIC was formed alongside 16 Regional Cacao Industry Councils.

The PCIC is composed of public and private sector representatives. It is chaired by an elected private sector representative and cochaired by an official of the DA, which is the lead government agency. The completely private sector PCIA also supports the PCIC at the regional levels.

Here are seven key PCIA achievements over the last two years:

1. Annual Cacao Congress: Funded mostly by the private sector, it covers topics such as global markets and soil suitability. This year’s Congress will focus on productivity and promote steps for the Philippines to have the best chocolate in the whole world.

2. Monthly “Usapang Kakao at Tsokolate”: For the past two years, attendance has reached 2,787 industry participants. There have been 5,398 monthly Facebook live engagements, with further reach of 19,973. This monthly internet-aided meeting provides easy accessibility to the latest technologies and issues.

3. Soil suitability climate change maps: PCIA has identified suitable cacao areas that consider both soil suitability and climate change conditions. The move has modified campaigns which haphazardly promote cacao in inappropriate areas.

4. Harmonized production and postharvest technical publication: The PCIA has gathered the best experts in cacao production and processing. They then published a harmonized technical guidebook on best practices used nationwide.

5. Quality awards: The PCIA institutionalized (and sponsors) the annual Philippine Cacao Quality Awards. As a result, the Philippines has won gold and silver awards in the most prestigious chocolate award competitions in the world.

6. Training: A memorandum of agreement has been signed between PCIA and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority, in collaboration with the DA, Agriculture Training Institute and PCIC for training programs for cacao farmers and processors. Training modules and model farms have also been developed.

7. Marketing: PCIA assists in marketing cacao products. Coordination is done with producers, processors and market outlets.

Emphasis

The PCIA emphasizes two points. First, our average 700-milligram yield must be increased to two kilos per plant to ensure farmer profitability and sustainability. Second, while we have won gold medals in worldwide competitions, still very few have achieved this level. More individuals must be empowered to attain this kind of global excellence so that Philippine chocolate can earn a proud “Tatak Pinoy” label and be recognized globally.

The government must provide the necessary missing services, which the private sector cannot sufficiently do by themselves. These include research, genome banking, breeding, training and marketing. Congress must also allocate a significant budget for cacao development.

Other key high-value products should follow the cacao public-private model and put the Philippines back on the global agriculture leadership map. Only then can we move our desired agriculture transformation from rhetoric to reality.