CABADBARAN CITY, Agusan del Norte – Lourdes Mandam is a farmer from Brgy. Lawigan. She swore before never to plant cacao after the failure she experienced when she tried to grow the crop in the past. Thirty of her cacao trees were attacked by the cocoa pod borer - a pest that can cause a yield loss of up to 40%. Since then, she would hesitate to join trainings on cacao because for her it would just be a waste of time and strength.

But an inner voice kept prodding her to give cacao another shot. Fortunately, she got an invitation to join the Farmers’ Field School on Cacao Production which was sponsored by ATI. This time she was no longer hesitant. Her hesitation slowly turned into excitement and enthusiasm.

“Now, I am very obsessed with cacao. I did no other work but only on cacao growing. I grafted the surviving trees in my farm and did not wait for those pruning shears promised to us. Now by God's mercy, I am joyful because those cacao trees that I tried to save are still alive today. Through the FFS, it is no longer difficult for us to maintain our cacao. We already know how to do grafting. Now I am learning how to sleeve because this is effective for the pod borers. I am so ever thankful to ATI, to the DA, and to Agata. Thank you for the learnings and the support you extended to us,” shared Lourdes Mandam during the closing program of the FFS. She was among the 31 farmers from Tubay and Cabadbaran City, Agusan del Norte who endured the four-month schooling.

The FFS on Cacao Production in Agusan del Norte commenced on June 6 and ended last October 19, 2018. Participants learned about soil and climatic requirement, nursery establishment, cultural management, pest and diseases management, harvesting, climate change, farm management and establishment. (with reports from Joel Laure).