BIZ BUZZ: Apl.de.Ap promotes coconuts, coffee
Filipino-American rapper, singer and record producer Apl.de.Ap, whose real name is Allan Pineda Lindo, is back in the Philippines—but not to promote new music or hold a concert.
Instead, the founding member of the Black Eyed Peas is in his “favorite country” to sing a different tune: coconuts and coffee.
His foundation Apl.de.Ap Foundation International (APLFI) recently entered into a partnership with the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) and the Philippine Coffee Board Inc. (PCB) to promote the intercropping of coconut and coffee.
Here’s a quick explanation of intercropping: it is the practice of cultivating a crop or two on the same field at the same time.
“The agreement cements a strategic alliance to standardize and promote the coconut coffee intercropping for the export market, uniting PCA’s logistical and technical expertise with APLFI’s advocacy and training capabilities,” the PCA said in a statement.
In a carousel post on his Instagram account, Apl.de.Ap expressed his joy in lending a hand to the Department of Agriculture and the PCA through his foundation “to help bring awareness about what we’re able to grow in my favorite country.”
“I truly believe that the greatest natural resource that the Philippines has is the coconut. Beyond drinking coconut juice and using it to cook, there’s a number of other benefits brought from this fruit,” he said.
PCA administrator Dexter Buted said the intercropping of coconut and coffee will uplift local farmers and position Philippine coffee as a competitive product in the global market.
Meanwhile, PCB President and Co-Chair Pacita Juan said the standardization of coffee plays a vital role in elevating Filipino coffee beans in the international scene.
Under the memorandum of understanding, the PCA will spearhead infrastructure and farmer support while the PCB will drive research and development, particularly in coffee product packaging and market positioning.
For its part, the APLFI will purchase raw materials at fair trade prices while promoting sustainability and equitable profit sharing.
With a renowned international artist, the government and the private sector banding together, is this strong push that coconut and coffee need to shine the brightest on the global map?
