Submitted by: Madelyn O.

Arimado
Section: BSA 2A
Skills and Development Summer Class 2021

Cacao

Cacao is an important crop around the world. Dubbed as “food of the gods”,
cacao’s product has been described as being more than a food, and less than a
drug.Cacao is an important crop around the world. Dubbed as “food of the gods”,
cacao’s product has been described as being more than a food, and less than a drug.

Cacao was first brought to the Philippines by its Spanish colonizers through
the Acapulco-Manila Galleon trade in 1670. As the crop grows best 20 degrees north
and south of the equator, the southern islands of the country provide an ideal climate
for cacao trees to flourish. Despite a 450-year head start and a geographic competitive
advantage, Philippine cacao has never been one of the country’s priority crops until
now.

The southern city of Davao is the epicenter of the resurging Philippine cacao
movement and is currently responsible for nearly 80 percent of the country’s
commercial cacao production. It is also the home of the industry’s leading pioneer and
award-winning chocolate producer, Malagos Chocolate.

And the CBSUA also have the Cacao Processing and Research Center headed
by MR. NIEL JOHN R. SERVIDAD The University President, Dr. Alberto N. Naperi,
and Vice President for Research and Innovation, Dr. Ramona Isabel S. Ramirez,
spearheaded the initiative with the assistance of Extension Service Director, Prof.
Vladimir R. Foronda, and experts from the College of Agriculture and Natural
Resources, led by Project Leaders Dr. Celerino B. LLesol Jr. and Dr. Emerson L.
Bergonio.

The primary objectives of this Capacity Enhancement Training for Cacao

Farmers were to increase farmers’ appreciation and understanding of the benefits of
cacao production, to prepare and present a farm plan on the establishment and
management of a cacao production enterprise, and to enable farmers to perform with
techniques on raising cacao seedlings under nursery conditions and planting through a
hands-on exercise.