Seven BS Economics students and one faculty member from the Nagasaki University (NU) visited ICropS for an afternoon of activities, discovery and learning on cacao, coffee, rubber, and abaca processing in the Plantation Crops Area last February 28. A half-day agenda, the program began with an introductory lecture by Dr. Bong M. Salazar followed by different demo activities by ICropS technicians, Danilo T. Santos, Edwin A. Famisan, Kim Karlo R. Lawas, and John Matthew A. Villaflor.
Headed by Dr. Salazar and coordinated by Extension Office Coordinator, Engr. Claire P. Sandro, ICropS staff presented the methods of coffee, cacao, abaca, and rubber processing, the maturity indices of these crops optimum to its processing, and other vital information related to the topic. The visitors enjoyed the fruits of their labor by tasting coffee and hot chocolate they prepared earlier with the assistance of the four ICropS staff. Afterwards, the visiting party toured around the plantation area and the Jardin de Hierbas to see natural stands of coffee, cacao, the Musa relatives, abaca and banana, rubber tree, culinary and medicinal herbs and spices.
This activity is part of the 7th Global Social Responsibility (GSR), a short-term study program of the Nagasaki University, spearheaded by the Department of Agribusiness Management and Entrepreneurship (DAME), College of Economics and Management.
