Provincial Environment Management Office (PEMO) together with Project Uitzending Managers or PUM Netherlands, strategized on how to develop the province’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 on July 28, to discuss plans that they have developed with Mayor Renato Gustilo.
Schram’s visit is also part of her ongoing evaluation and monitoring regarding the province’s wide development of the cacao industry that helps provide a livelihood for small-scale farmers and creates an impact on the young cacao industry of Negros Occidental.
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 3 weeks of studying the said industry their draft plan will be approved by the governor and succeed.
Homer Vicente Gonzales Jr., of Insikwate Cacao Product Enterprise and Cacao farmer shared that the visit of the PUM rep is a welcome development for Sancarloseños’ Cacao industry since it will provide more opportunities for cacao farmers in terms of the potential market and improve production.
Boyet Tribunalo of Cooperatives Livelihood & 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 I, and Vannesa de Dios, Community Affairs Officer I of PEMO accompanied Schram during the said meeting.
