Among all the crops many seasoned farmers favor is cacao because of its profitability and aid in safeguarding the ecosystem by boosting sustainable farming methods. However, establishing a farm isn’t as easy as it seems.
Japhet Tabale, a cacao farmer, processor, and owner of the Cacao Prince, warns that there are some challenges to manage and overcome before reaping the benefits of cacao farming, some of which he encountered himself.
First, he advises aspiring cacao farmers to consider their capital since cacao farming requires a substantial amount of money to acquire the resources. He encourages others to explore other avenues to gain the necessary funds, like exploring other avenues such as obtaining grants.
Last November 2021, he received a capital grant fund from the Department of Agriculture’s (DA) Young Farmers Challenge (YFC) program, which he used to purchase farm equipment, machinery, cacao seedlings, and for the establishment of other facilities.
Meanwhile, Tabale’s next tip is to learn the basics and complexities of cacao farming to keep an enterprise going. Some information worth learning includes critical knowledge of business management and good agricultural and food processing practices.
“It was very challenging. Though I was born in a family of farmers, I don’t have a proper education related to agriculture and food processing,” Tabale admitted. Fortunately, he had a “kung di ka magaling, magpaturo ka sa magaling” mindset which pushed him to attend seminars and training on cacao farming and food processing.
Lastly, Tabale advises aspiring cacao farmers to be prepared for crises and keep an open mind. Farming, especially if partnered with entrepreneurship, can bring ups and downs, which are often unexpected.
For instance, the COVID-19 pandemic back in 2020 forced Tabale and his family to temporarily close their business since they relied on third-party processors to process their cacao-based products. After three months, he thought of opening their cacao bean-to-bar factory within their home and leveraging the potential of e-commerce platforms.
He thought it was an opportune moment because farmers needed to sell their beans, and consumers still demanded cacao-based products. Given the health restrictions, it lessened the competition within the area.
“I learned that if a crisis is faced positively, it can be an opportunity disguised as a problem,” he said.
As many established farmers learned, farming isn’t a get-rich-quick scheme that brings success overnight. It requires patience, determination, and creativity to become sustainable. Although some might find the process tedious, the rewards can be worthwhile.