Fixtures and Fittings Out of Cacao Leaves
Keywords:
Pruning, Black pod disease, Cacao, Fossilized LeavesAbstract
INTRODUCTION
Alfonso, Cavite is known for producing cacao products. In the year2020, they have an agenda to produce 200 tons of cacao. In farming cacao trees, pruning is needed so that the fruit of the tree would not get any diseases like the black pod disease. Black pod disease is the common disease that cacao trees could get and the fruit of the cacao would start to rot if it got affected. Pruning also helps in growing the fruit better, because of these many leaves where getting disposed of by the farmers. They burn the leaves after they have been dried, however, burning could add up to air pollution that could also affect our health. The main reason for this study was to help the farmers on how will they use the leaves after being pruned.
METHODS
A. Gathering of the MaterialsCacao leaves, caustic soda, stove, stainless container
Sorting of LeavesThe younger leaves were separated with the older one. In this case, the younger and medium size leaves were used. The damaged and matured leaves were disposed of properly.
Fossilizing of LeavesRemoving green pigments of the leaves
Product MakingGeneral procedure on assembling the product.
Finalizing of the ProductAdding some design for a better look.
Conducting of SeminarA seminar was conducted at Alfonso, Cavite.
Conducting of SurveyAfter the seminar, a survey was given to the attendees of the seminar.
RESULTS
The result of the survey that we conducted showed that the people of the community would have an extra income if they continue in fossilizing leaves. They also have some suggestions like making other products. According to the survey conducted the farmers learned a lot and it would help them to lessen the burning of leaves. Through this seminar, they could also show their creativity in making many different handicrafts out of fossilized cacao leaves
DISCUSSIONS
Most of the attendees of the said seminar have their own ideas on how they will use the process of fossilizing leaves. Most of them were thinking to start a business wherein they could use what they learned and to have an extra income aside from farming. The fossilized leaves could be also sold as designs for projects. The cacao farmers could learn the fossilizing of leaves so that they could lessen the burning of leaves, they could also have an extra income for fossilizing leaves because they could make a new product out of it and the product that they made would be sold to the people who would visit their farm.