encouraging sustainable, responsible cocoa growing

Entry: Tracey Duffey, World Cocoa Foundation and Lowell Lozada, CocoaPhil Field Technician

In continuation of my trip to the Philippines, my final field visit over the weekend was to Dipolog City a province of Zamboanga Del Norte. In addition to my CocoaPhil colleagues, Mr. Edward David and Mrs. Josephine Ramos, along with the Provincial Agrarian Reform Officer Mr. Rogelio Balladares, I was accompanied by the Western Mindanao Field Technician of Cocoa Phil, Mr. Lowell B. Lozada.

Here is a picture of Lowell.

Lowell shared the following experience with me as to how he got started with cacao and became a Cacao Field Technician:

“I was invited by a CocoaPhil member to join the Training of Trainers on cocoa production under the Success Alliance Phase 1 project in 2004. Afterwards, I planted cacao to apply the knowledge that I learned during the training undertaken. At the same time, I shared my knowledge with fellow cacao growers engaged in cacao production in our area.

I was so interested to explore my knowledge learnt that earlier this year I applied to be a cacao field technician. Presently I’m working with CocoaPhil as a field technician where I provide technical assistance to our cacao farmers, do the monitoring of their nursery operations, and monitor the monthly trainings conducted by the training facilitators for the farmer field schools.

Photo: An example of my work is included in this photo with me talking with Training Facilitator Edgar Uycoco in Rizal in Zamboanga del Norte and reviewing the rows of seedling clones in their nursery.

I cover three provinces specifically Basilan, Sibugay and Zamboanga del Norte which is composed of a number of municipalities and two cities, Dapitan City and Zamboanga. For each Sibugay and Zamboanga del Norte provinces there are 5 training facilitators who conduct monthly farmer field schools. For Zamboanga City we have one, and three in Basilan province.

Photo: Training Facilitators Angela Patac and Ray Mondol with me as I review their monthly training status sheets of the farmers trained and topics covered per training session

As a designated cacao field technician in western Mindanao, I do really love working with the groups of cacao growers by rendering my efforts to assist them in growing cacao.

I’m looking forward to attaining the objectives of the project and expanding the coverage to more farmers who can benefit from the technology, markets and overall economic development of the cacao industry in the Philippines. I wish for more support to come in the years ahead.

I welcome your comments and questions to my blog entry and your impressions of cacao farming in the Philippines.” - Lowell Lozada, CocoaPhil