Esperanza, Sultan Kudarat – March 10–11, 2026. A two-day training on Proper Product Processing for Quality Control for Coconut Farmers’ Organizations (FOs) was successfully held at Villa Lalaine, Esperanza, Sultan Kudarat, with 23 participating cooperatives.

The program opened with an invocation by Cooperative Chairman Mr. Muslimin Salim, followed by preliminaries and opening remarks from Regional Project Coordinator Sir Ian B. Ali, who underscored the importance of product processing, quality control, and Halal integration in boosting competitiveness in both local and global markets.

Dr. Norodin A. Kuit of the Mindanao Muslim Mindanao Halal Certification Board Inc. oriented participants on Halal certification requirements for agro-based products, emphasizing compliance and opportunities in the global Halal economy. Kits for coconut pre- and post-harvest activities were also distributed to support farmer productivity.

On the second day, Mr. Jamir Ebus of MAFAR discussed soil management as a foundation for product quality, while the afternoon session introduced procedures for Philippine Good Agricultural Practices (PhilGAP) certification. Registration forms were distributed to encourage FOs to begin the certification process.

The activity concluded with an open forum, evaluation, and closing remarks from Value Chain Facilitator Ms. Sarah A. Paguital, who highlighted the direct application of knowledge gained to strengthen cooperative operations.

This initiative reinforced the vital role of proper processing, compliance, and sustainable practices in elevating the competitiveness of Coconut Farmers’ Organizations.