Filipinos are known as one of the major coffee consumers in the world, and Philippines is one of the few countries currently producing the four (4) commercially-viable varieties, namely: Arabica, Robusta, Liberica, and Excelsa. The country’s coffee industry has found growing market opportunities as it is expected to rise annually by 7.13% from 2022-2025.

To help the coffee farming communities take advantage of these opportunities, the Agricultural Training Institute – Regional Training Center I conducted Training of Trainers on Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) for Coffee Production on June 13 - 17, 2022 at ATI-RTC I Satellite Training Center, Tabug, Batac City, Ilocos Norte. The five-day training was participated by 23 Agricultural Extension Workers (AEWs), particularly the HVCP Coordinators from the different municipalities of Region I. These AEWs are the frontline service providers in the farming communities, tasked to capacitate and assist coffee farmers in achieving an increased productivity and product quality.

The participants performed hazard and risk evaluations through an on-site mock inspection at Piddig Lowland Coffee Plantation and Processing Center.

The training has equipped the participants with functional competencies in the code of GAP for coffee production which objective is to ensure food safety and quality. Moreover, the participants had their hazard and risk evaluations through Mock Inspection at Piddig Lowland Coffee Plantation and Processing Center the production and processing practices being implemented were observed and determine these conform to GAP. Field visit and hands-on demonstration on grading and sorting green coffee beans, pruning, distancing, and identification of pests and diseases were also experienced by the participants as part of their learning journey.

To gain some learnings and insights, a field visit with hands-on demonstration on grading and sorting green coffee beans, the distance between planting coffee and identifying pest and diseases of coffee were conducted.

Action plans were developed and submitted by the participants. This plan indicates how will they use and teach the technologies to the coffee farmers in their respective communities and how to save dwindling coffee industry.

The five-day training was accredited to Continuing Professional Development (CPD) with 22 units.