NBSC, UPLB Lead Launching of Project MOCHA with the Canadian Embassy
On September 27, 2023, NBSC President Catherine Roween C. Almaden, PhD, together with UP Los Baños Vice-Chancellor for Research and Extension Nathaniel C. Bantayan, PhD, led the launching of 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁: 𝗠𝗢𝗖𝗛𝗔 (𝗠anagement 𝗼f 𝗖offee, 𝗛oney and 𝗔𝗱𝗹𝗮𝗶) “𝙀𝙣𝙜𝙚𝙣𝙙𝙚𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝘾𝙡𝙞𝙢𝙖𝙩𝙚 𝙍𝙚𝙨𝙞𝙡𝙞𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙚 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙑𝙖𝙡𝙤𝙧𝙞𝙯𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙤𝙛 𝘽𝙪𝙠𝙞𝙙𝙣𝙤𝙣’𝙨 𝙄𝙣𝙙𝙞𝙜𝙚𝙣𝙤𝙪𝙨 𝙋𝙧𝙤𝙙𝙪𝙘𝙩𝙨” This initiative is made possible through the generous support of the Canada Fund for Local Initiatives (CFLI).
The project launch was held at UPLB’s New Graduate School Building and was attended by the Ambassador of Canada to the Philippines, Hon. David B. Hartman; Trade Commissioner Ms. Angel Cachuela; Hon. Jose Manuel F. Alba, Congressman of the 1st District of Bukidnon; UP System Vice President for Academic Affairs Leo D.P. Cubillan; UP-Los Baños Chancellor Jose V. Camacho, Jr.; and officials from the Philippines-Canada Network for Sustainability (PCNS) member institutions.
Delegates from Bukidnon in support of the project comprised Manolo Fortich Councilor Raquel Abales-Bayacag, Councilor Elzevir A. Dagunlay, Municipal Agriculturist Gemma Cania, NBSC Research Director Caroline Laarni Sereñas, and Charlene Bulahan-Undag.”
Project MOCHA’s main goal is to valorize or add value to selected indigenous food products from Bukidnon, particularly coffee, wild raw honey, and Adlai, while promoting sustainable agriculture. This project is one of the outcomes of the partnership between NBSC, UP-Los Baños, and the Philippines-Canada Network for Sustainability (PCNS), a network of higher education institutions (HEIs) formed to engage in collaborative activities for sustainability. NBSC is one of the pioneer members of this network.
