DA cites outstanding farmers, farmer groups

DA cites outstanding farmers, farmer groups

By Elsa S. Subong, Thursday 20th of December 2012

ILOILO CITY, Dec. 20 (PIA6) -- The 2012 Gawad Saka Award of the Department of Agriculture has cited farmers and farmer organizations for their contributions to the food sufficiency in Western Visayas.

This year’s Gawad Saka Outstanding Farmer was Franz Jason Baltazar of Oton, Iloilo, adjudged among others for his being an entrepreneur in addition to being a farmer.

Baltazar said he has been using organic and sustainable intercrop system (OASIS) in his two-hectare farmland, where he raised tropical koi fishers, poultry and tilapia breeding.

He supplies chicken to one of the biggest restaurants in Arevalo, Iloilo City.

On the other hand, cited as this year’s Saka Gawad Outstanding Young Farmer is Louie Jhon Gelluagan from Hinobaan, Negros Occidental, who was also an organic farming practitioner, widely involved in farm activities in his school and community.

Recognized as Outstanding High-Value Commercial Crops Farmer, was Rosario Villarenia, a mother of six from Silay City, Negros Occidental, who was able to achieve more by using the Integrated Farming Technology.

With hard work in her farm, she said, she was able to send her children to school.

Meanwhile, honored as this year’s Outstanding Sugarcane Farmer, was Senfroso Carpentero, of Bago City, Negros Occidental, who has a farmland of 2.3 hectares.

Despite the small area, he was able to produce 83 tons of sugarcane, exceeding the mill district average of 67 tons.

For the farmers’ organizations, the Gawad Saka Awardees were the Canmoros Dynamic Association of San Carlos City, Negros Occidental, cited as Outstanding Fisherfolk Organization, the Cabatuan National Comprehensive High School Young Farmers’ 4-H Club, as Outstanding Young Farmers Organization.

Further, other winners include the San Isidro Rural Improvement Club of Pontevedra, Negros Occidental, as Outstanding Rural Improvement Club, and the San Carlos Fisheries and Aquatic Resource Management Councils.

DA-6 Director Larry Nacionales said the Gawad Saka Award is the agency’s mechanism for recognizing farmers and and farmers groups that have been rendering exemplary initiatives which redound to enhancing food sufficiency in the region. (JSC/ESS-PIA6 Iloilo)

Cabatuan.com - Timeline 2012