32 Farmers Trained in Coconut Processing at Axel Integrated Farm — A CFIDP Success Story

Training the Trainers: Knowledge That Multiplies

In July 2024, 32 farmer-processors and coconut tappers gathered at Axel Integrated Farm in Barangay Poblacion 1, Talalora, Samar. They were not there for a meeting or a seminar. They were there to learn how to turn a single coconut harvest into multiple products — and multiple income streams.

The three-day training, organized by the Agricultural Training Institute — Regional Training Center 8 (ATI-RTC 8) under the Coconut Farmers and Industry Development Plan (CFIDP), focused on improving and standardizing the quality of collected and processed coconut sap. The goal was straightforward: help farmers stop selling raw sap at thin margins and start producing value-added products that command real prices in the market.

From One Sap to Five Products

Participants learned to produce five distinct coconut products from a single sap harvest:

• Virgin Coconut Oil (VCO) — the classic health and wellness staple
• Coco Aminos — a natural, low-sodium soy sauce alternative now popular in health-conscious kitchens
• Coco Nectar — a natural sweetener and beverage base
• Coco Balsamic — Axel Farm's flagship sweet-tangy vinegar product
• Coco Vinegar — the traditional Waray-style coconut vinegar that forms the backbone of Filipino sawsawan

In addition to processing techniques, the training included a product packaging and marketing workshop — recognizing that a quality product needs quality presentation to compete in today's market.

Why This Training Matters

Talalora, Samar is a coconut-focused area. For most families in its coastal barangays, coconut is the main source of income. But traditional copra production — drying coconut meat for oil — yields thin returns. A farmer can spend weeks producing copra and earn barely enough to get by.

The CFIDP was created to change this equation. By training farmers to process coconut sap into finished products, the program aims to increase farmer incomes, create sustainable enterprises, and improve the competitiveness of the Philippine coconut industry.

Axel Integrated Farm was chosen as the training site not by accident. The farm had already demonstrated what was possible: a 50-50 profit-sharing model that lifted farmer incomes from an average of PhP 25,000 to as much as PhP 270,000 annually. By hosting the training, Axel Farm opened its doors so other farmers could see — and learn — how the model works.

Voices From the Training

Mr. Samuel Mejica, one of the 32 participants, shared what the experience meant for his community:

"This is our first time to be visited and trained by the ATI. The group is very grateful because not only did we learn about the processing of coconut sap, but also we learned about the many programs by the government for the coconut farmers. As the main source of our income, this good news brought us hope that soon our lives will be elevated. Thank you for the opportunity, and we are hoping that you come back for more training."

Mr. Mejica's words capture something important: for many small farmers in Samar, training programs like this are rare. When they happen, they are transformative — not just in skills, but in hope.

A Growing Ecosystem

The July 2024 training was a milestone in a larger journey. In August 2022, farm manager Jayson Pascual organized the Talalora Farmers Agriculture Cooperative (TALFAC), registered with the Cooperative Development Authority. The cooperative has since created 50 new jobs in logistics, processing, and farm work, providing steady income to families that previously relied on seasonal copra earnings.

In 2025, Axel Farm was featured at the ACEBA-CCCI circular economy forum as a case study in sustainable coconut farming. In May 2026, it received the Halal Rookie Award and Halal certification at the Prime Group Philippines Gala Night. Each milestone connects back to the same foundation: farmers who are trained, equipped, and empowered to process their own harvest.

The Bigger Picture

The Philippine coconut industry employs approximately 3.5 million farmers, many of whom live below the poverty line. Programs like CFIDP represent a shift in approach — from simply producing raw materials to building processing capacity at the community level.

Axel Integrated Farm's story — from a small coconut farm in Samar to a Halal-certified enterprise training fellow farmers — demonstrates that this shift is not only possible but already underway. Behind every bottle of Sukang Waray, Cocestra, or Sinamak is not just a farmer. It is a farmer who was trained, who learned to process, and who now earns a fair share of the value their work creates.

Behind Every Bottle Is a Farmer. — Axel Integrated Farm, Talalora, Samar