An investment in knowledge pays the best interest. This quote from Benjamin Franklin is what Dr. Raul del Agua of Kitcharao, Agusan del Norte can strongly attest. After writing his dissertation that focused on livelihood programs for small farmers in his locality, he is now the brainchild of the Kitcharao LGU Farm – a multi-million project that is poised to become Agusan del Norte’s next farm tourism attraction.

“Our municipal farm is the fruit of my dissertation,” said Dr. Raul who is the Municipal Agriculturist and the concurrent Municipal Administrator of Kitcharao. Although the root of his post-graduate education may have been bitter, but for Dr. Raul, it was all worth it since the outcome has been sweet after all.

He may have received a lot of honor and praise from many people, yet he remained grounded and never forgot to look back and thank those who helped him such as the Agricultural Training Institute (ATI) who financed his dissertation through the Expanded Human Resource Development Program (EHRDP) in 2014.

The Farm Project

According to Dr. Raul, the Kitcharao LGU Farm is a farm tourism facility that will also respond to the national government’s move to completely devolve agricultural functions to the LGUs. He explained that it was the vision of Kitcharao’s Vice Mayor Aristotle Montante to address poverty by investing in sustainable agriculture based on people’s needs. Dr. Raul realized that the vision was not far from his research study and so he developed it into a program and presented the idea to the municipal officials led by Mayor Jenrey Montante.  It did not take long for Dr. Raul to convince the mayor and its council to approve and finance the Kitcharao LGU Farm.

Farm Features

The farm has an area of three hectares and is located 600 meters west of the National Highway and about two kilometers from the shore of Lake Mainit. It has been idle for 12 years until the LGU decided to develop the area in 2016. In October 2020, it was certified by ATI as a Learning Site for Agriculture (LSA) and a year later it received its accreditation from TESDA as a Farm School.

Within the farm stands the two-storey green building worth 10 million pesos that houses the new Municipal Agriculture Manpower & Development Center. According to Dr. Raul, the concreting, fencing, and landscaping of the surroundings cost the LGU Php 12.5 million pesos. Southeast of the farm is the slaughterhouse worth six million pesos.

Other features that can be seen on the farm include a fish pond surrounded by cottages, flowers, and vegetables. There is also a native chicken multiplier and goat houses and production areas for rice, vegetable, and corn. Moreover, there are ongoing projects such as the construction of a warehouse and motor pool, hydroponics, livestock housing, and zipline. According to Dr. Raul, the LGU has spent over 30 million pesos in developing the farm, and more will be allocated by the LGU in the years to come to fully transform it into a farm tourism site.

Activities that visitors can do inside the farm include joining meetings, training activities, conferences, educational tours, and doing exercises like Zumba, jogging, and biking. Events such as birthdays, weddings, and other parties are also catered inside.

Future Plans

For the adventuresome, 2023 will be an exciting year because the zipline is expected to be fully functional by that time. The nearby hilltop will be the starting area while the farm will be the drop-off point. The LGU has allocated a budget of 7.2 million for the zipline alone.

In addition to this, the pond will be developed into an entertainment area where just beside it will be a stage where concerts and pageants will be held. An aluminum bridge will be built to cross the ponds. At its brink will be the cottages, cabanas, and a wellness spa. Visitors can catch tilapias grown in the pond and eat them grilled through a fish-and-pay scheme.

There are also plans to put up a Farmers Pavilion & Convention Center, a display center for the farmers’ products, receiving area, and a dormitory for the participants in training and vacationers.  

To boost farmers’ income and productivity, several programs and activities are being lined up in 2023 such as the establishment of a night market and bagsakan center. Other existing programs and projects will also be continued next year such as the Kitcharao Rice Enhancement Support Program (KRESP), Kitcharao Goalayan Support Program (KGSP), Kitcharao Mamanua Sustainable Livelihood Development Project (KMSLDP), and Kitcharao Sustainable Livelihood for Peace and Social Support Project.

Catalyst for Change

Dr. Raul explained that agriculture is both a science and an art. “If it is just science, it will be boring to some. But if we put art into it, the output will be beautiful,” Dr. Raul remarked.

Not only beautiful was the output, but an impactful one. When the mayor saw how the farm was well-run, he offered Dr. Raul the designation of Municipal Administrator in a concurrent capacity to his plantilla position as Municipal Agriculturist. “Maybe the mayor liked my performance,” he humbly replied. “At first, he said it will only be for six months. But when the mayor was re-elected, he asked for an extension.”

Even the governor of Agusan del Norte, Hon. Dale Corvera, was so impressed with the project that he mentions it every time he goes around the province. This only shows that an Agricultural Extension Worker (AEW) can be more than a mere government worker. If he equips himself with knowledge and skills, thinks out of the box, and applies what he knows, he can be an innovator and a catalyst for change just like Dr. Raul del Agua.