COFFEE growers in Bukidnon will benefit from the collaboration between the Agricultural Cooperative Development International/Volunteers in Overseas Cooperative Assistance and Central Mindanao University which is set to implement the PhilCAFE project on campus.

The university said the partnership aims to empower coffee farmers through CMU’s extension projects on coffee.

“Coffee is a major commodity of CMU especially that there is already an existing demo area, coffee laboratory, cafe (Fulbright Garden), and coffee experts in the university,” Dr. Estrella Dacillo, CMU director of the Extension Office, said.

She added that a coffee caravan will be conducted to serve as a mobile coffee clinic.

“It would provide mentoring services to coffee farmers in Bukidnon. This would be supported by the extent of reach of the DXMU FM in spreading the benefits of coffee production and processing from ‘seed-to-cup’ implementing strategies,” Estrella said.

Professor Andrew Melencion, an International Licensed Q-grader, said CMU’s coffee cupping laboratory is the first in Region 10.

“It is one of three government coffee laboratories in Mindanao sponsored by ACDI/VOCA, and handled by one of the 33 total world-Q Grader of Coffee Quality Institute, which is soon to be a tourist destination in CMU,” Melencion said.

The school said that the ACDI/VOCA commended Jesus Mabolo, who is in charge of the CMU Coffee Demo Farm and Backyard Nursery, and his team for producing healthy and well-groomed coffee seedlings.

“They also praised the cooling system for the seedlings as another innovative step to establishing an outstanding coffee production in the future,” it added.