LAS NIEVES, Agusan del Norte - Chocolate is said to have the power to take you places. This view is supported by the Agricultural Training Institute – Regional Training Center XIII (ATI-Caraga) during its conduct of the Farmers’ Field School (FFS) on Cacao Production from April 17, 2018 to September 11, 2018. Its aim is to promote and help increase Cacao production in Caraga due to the global demand for high-grade chocolates.

Thirty farmers and agricultural extension workers completed the four-month schooling in Brgy. San Isidro, Las Nieves. They underwent several discussions such as soil and climatic requirement, nursery, cultural management, pests and diseases management, harvesting, good agricultural practices (GAP), climate change, agro-ecological system analysis (AESA), commodity situationer, processing and market opportunities on Cacao production.

“Ako nagpasalamat ug dako sa taga-ATI ug nagbuo niining seminar sulod sa upat ka bulan. Daghan kog nakat-unan sa among seminar, labina nadugangan ang akong kahibalo sa akong pagpanguma. Salamat sa taga-ATI nga nagmalamposon ang among seminar,” remarked Romeo G. Cainoy, a farmer from San Isidro. (I am very thankful to ATI and those who helped organize this seminar that lasted for four months. I learned a lot particularly on farming. Thank you to ATI for a successful training)

To note, Caraga region is one of the areas identified as suitable for cacao production. Under the region’s Cacao Industry Roadmap 2017-2022, the region has targeted 3,000 metric tons (MT) of dried fermented cacao beans by the end of the five-year cycle. In 2015 alone, the region has produced 60 MT of Cacao with 1,252 hectares devoted to the said crop.