WE INITIATED INTER-TRIBAL EXCHANGE OF ARABICA GROWING TECHNOLOGY IN 2010

Kriz Cruzado (CFP Research & Development Coordinator) facilitated the meeting of various tribal representatives in Mindanao who are involved in fair coffee production and trading.  They come from three different First Nations in Mindanao–the Dulangan Manobo from Lebak, Sultan Kudarat, the Talaandig from Mount Kitanglad in Bukidnon, and the B’laan from Mount Matutum in South Cotabato.

They shared their respective spiritual worldviews that determine their values and behaviour, especially as applied to farming practices.  They have agreed to adhere to fair trade practices as they connect with each other as they all grow, process, and sell Arabica coffee beans.  They also talked about their long-term plans of owning their own roasting machines, roasting their own coffee beans, packaging their own brands, supplying coffee in the local markets around their respective Ancestral Domains, and becoming an equal player in the coffee industry.

For now, they wanted to master the fundamentals of local Arabica farming using global quality standards.