SLSU Hosts Regional Coordination Meeting for Cacao Summit
After hosting the National Abaca Summit in 2015, SLSU might just become the venue for another summit: the planned Regional Summit on the Cacao Industry.
Representatives from the Provincial Planning and Development Office of both Leyte and Southern Leyte, the Department of Agriculture Regional Field Office 8 (DA-RFO 8), the National Economic and Development Authority Region 8, the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) - So. Leyte, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) - So. Leyte, the University of Eastern Philippines (UEP), Eastern Visayas State University and SLSU, were together in the second Regional Coordination Meeting for the Cacao Industry Regional Conference on April 11, 2016 at the SLSU Board Room.
SLSU and UEP are the lead convenors of the summit in collaboration with the DA, DOST, DTI, the Philippine Coconut Authority, and the Society of Agricultural Educators in Region VIII.
The tentative schedule set for the summit is the first week of August 2016.
Summit objectives include the presentation of a road map and the creation of a strengthened multi-sectoral action plan by incorporating the inputs from farmer groups, state universities and colleges (SUCs), local government units, line agencies, and industry players.
A discussion will also be held for coming up with a quality seed protocol that will build the capability of the Region to locally source its own high quality planting materials. Other expected topics will be the preservation and propagation of native cacao.
Majority of cacao planting materials currently given to and cultivated by farmers are sourced outside of the Region.
A techno-booth will also be set-up for presenting existing technologies in cacao cultivation and the products of cacao for food, toiletries and pharmaceuticals.
The planned target participants are key industry players, local chief executives, multinational organizations into cacao, line agencies, SUCs, and 10 or more farmers from each LGU.
A registration will be collected per participant, however farmers' registration will likely be shouldered by their respective LGUs and provinces, as discussed during the meeting.
The Regional Coordination Meeting was chaired by Vice President for Research, Development and Extension Francis Ann Sy. Other SLSU representatives to the meeting were President Prose Ivy Yepes, Wade Lim of SLSU-Hinunangan and Balik Scientist Alejandro Tongco.
Provincial government and line agency representatives with SLSU officials in the Regional Coordination Meeting for the Cacao Industry Regional Summit.