The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Sarangani, recently carried out a field monitoring and validation activity in Malungon, Sarangani to assess the status, readiness, and implementation progress of the productive investments benefiting local farmer organizations.

RAPID Growth Project Field Technical Validator Mr. Jeppy Tagoon, together with LGU-Malungon representative Mr. Wowie Alag, visited beneficiary organizations in Malungon to validate ongoing and proposed productive investments and assess their potential contributions to improving farmers’ productivity and market competitiveness.

During the visit to the Sarangan Coco Farmers Agriculture Cooperative (SACOFACO), the team monitored the ongoing construction of the Kukum Dryer. Once operational, the facility will have the capacity to dry up to 4,000 kilograms of whole coconuts for white copra production, significantly improving the cooperative’s post-harvest processing efficiency and product quality.

The team also validated the proposed site for the cacao warehouse of the Cacao Producers Association of Malungon (CPAM). The assessment confirmed the site's suitability and strategic location, which will facilitate the efficient consolidation, storage, handling, and marketing of cacao beans produced by local farmers.

Through regular monitoring and validation activities, the RAPID Growth Project ensures the effective implementation of project interventions. These efforts contribute to strengthening agricultural value chains, promoting value-adding enterprises, and advancing the project’s objective of increasing the income of smallholder farmers by up to 60 percent by project completion.