Jennifer Rimando (third from left)

Another woman grader for Robusta bean, Bea Belardo, echoes Jennifer’s remarks. “We were invited to attend the classes, and I am thankful that PCBI recommended us to be included even if the program was initially just for Mindanao,” she recalls. Bea hails from Amadeo, Cavite, which is known for Robusta coffee.

Bea Belardo

While Jennifer took the 2016 Arabica exams and passed, Bea took the Robusta exams in 2017 and passed as well. The certification is good for three years and can be renewed upon passing the calibration exams.

“Now, we give back to our community by sharing what we know with the farmers,” Bea says. The two women recently shared their knowledge on the Q grading of specialty coffee (Arabica) and Fine Robusta at the Ilocos leg of the Women in Coffee training sessions—the fifth in PCBI’s project series with IWCA, DA-GAD Office, ACDI/VOCA, Peace and Equity Foundation, and ECHOsi Foundation.

“We have done five trainings so far, says Chit Juan of PCBI, “and a few more are coming up especially in places without access to trainings because of their low-quantity coffee produce (based on government records) or because they are not known as major coffee areas.” Some areas, like Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM, also do not get trainings because international agencies are advised not to go there. “We go to these areas which have coffee but are excluded from the normal planning exercises,” Chit continues.

For the CQI trainings made possible ACDI/VOCA and PCBI, there are women like Jennifer and Bea who chose to give back by sharing with the farmers what they have learned about coffee growing. The trainings were meant to cater to all those who have no knowledge about coffee quality coffee.

The journey started last year in Ifugao when PCBI consultant Robert Francisco and PEF program manager Bong Soto trekked to Asipulo, Ifugao to announce the rules.

It was important to announce the contest way before harvest time so coffee farmers could pick the best fruits, process them well, then prepare them for cupping. This was in November 2018.

Last March, farmers sent their coffee samples to PCBI and these were cupped and graded by PCBI/CQI-trained Q graders Mario Macalalad, Bea Belardo, and Jen Rimando under Robert Francisco’s management. PCBI received 21 samples and out of these, 17 made the grade.

Making the grade means scoring over 80 points.

The awarding ceremonies will be held this April, in time with the festivities in the town of Asipulo.

PEF has generously prepared cash prizes and tokens to entice the farmers to continue the practice for the coming harvest season. This will make Ifugao coffee known as a specialty grade and could fetch higher prices for the farmers’ efforts.