DAVAO CITY — With the aim to accelerate and sustain the adoption of a technology that produces briquettes from cacao pod husk and other biomass wastes, a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between the Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization (PHilMech) of the Department of Agriculture (DA) and the Fardeco Agricultural Multi-purpose Cooperative (FARDECO) was signed yesterday, May 4, 2022 at Cadalian, Baguio District, Davao City.
FARDECO is one of the beneficiaries of the National Greening Program (NGP) of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR-XI) that gained success through farming and forest tree planting in Baguio District, Davao City. It is also the only PHilMech Project Cooperator in the Davao Region.
With the project title “Accelerating Technology Adoption through Upscaling and Participatory Action Research: Establishment of Pilot Briquetting enterprise for Cacao Pod Husk and other Related Biomass, PHilMech intends to adopt the so-called technology of which the by-product can be used as fuel and an alternative to wood charcoal”. Through this, it can help generate additional income for cacao farmers and processors.
The project is also in response to the COVID-19 pandemic efforts of the national government in ensuring food security and livelihood of the beneficiaries. A package of equipment comprising briquetting machine, carbonizer, shredder, hammer mill and mixer to produce briquettes from cacao pod husk shall be provided and be installed by PHilMech to the Projects Cooperator.
Present during the event are DENR XI Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Officer of Davao del Sur, Alberto Bandiola and OIC-Community Environment and Natural Resources Officer of Davao City, Juvy Hofileña; FARDECO Agricultural Multi-Purpose Cooperative Chairman Nelson Tagud; Department of Agriculture (DA) – Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization (PHilMech) Supervising Science Research Specialist Amelita Salvador, PhD.; and Municipal Agricultural Officer – Baguio District Pedro Cabang, Jr.Truly, a cacao tree produces several ways to earn money. An NGP success story worth to be told.
