Provincial Environment Management Office (PEMO) with Project Uitzending Managers, or PUM, Netherlands, strategized on how to develop the Negros Occidental’s rich cacao plantation and production.
Sylvia Bark-Schram, Cross-Sector Collaboration Expert and Senior Expert on Cacao of the PUM Netherlands, made her visit to San Carlos City Mayor Rene Gustilo to discuss the plans that they developed on July 28.
Schram’s visit was also part of her ongoing evaluation and monitoring regarding the development of the cacao industry in Negros Occidental that helps provide a livelihood for small-scale farmers and creates an impact on the young cacao industry of the province.
She shared that they have drawn up a few plans in collaboration with other provincial offices such as the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPA), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), and private sectors that will give solution to the PEMO’s request in helping the upscale farmers in enhancing their management and expertise skills that will help bring out the full potential of cacao bean production.
She also hopes that after three weeks of studying the industry their drafted plan will be approved by the governor and succeed.
On the other hand, Homer Vicente Gonzales Jr. of Insikwate Cacao Product Enterprise and a cacao farmer shared that the visit of the PUM representative is a welcome development for San Carlos cacao industry since it will provide more opportunities for farmers in terms of the potential market and improve production.
He also thanked the PEMO’s initiative in helping cacao farmers in the province.
Boyet Tribunalo of Cooperatives Livelihood and Development Office (CLDO); Prudencio Bayawa, officer-in-charge of the City Agriculture’s Office; Luisa Tutor, Senior Environmental Management Specialist; Meralet Padilla, Community Development Assistant; and Vannesa de Dios, Community Affairs Officer of PEMO accompanied Schram during the meeting.*
