Success is synonymous to spices. A vast Ginger plantation flourishes under Leo's care.
Felino “Leo” T. Remaneses of Mangan, Banga, Aklan is wearing few hats during his fifty-six years of existence. He is known to be an educator, industrial technologist specializing in metal and steelworks, was an Overseas Filipino Worker, and presently, a respected businessman. However, he is thriving in yet another industry: agriculture.
“Maisot paeat-a ako hay gaarado eon ako,” [“I started plowing rice lands at a very young age”] Leo recalls how he started getting into farming. His family owns decent parcels of land, including two hectares of rice land, which they proactively utilize. Exposed during the early stages of his life, the potential in farming and agriculture was instilled in him.
HOW IT STARTED
Leo proactively pursued farming since coming home to the Philippines in 2009, after a three-year stint in Abu Dhabi. Along with his venture on a metal arts center in Kalibo, he relied on farming as a source of livelihood. He fostered and is now known to the local agriculture community as the Vice President of the Municipal Agriculture and Fishery Council of Banga, Aklan, and as a registered seed-grower.
Rabbits are excellent source of protein and Felino intends to take advantage of their market value.
DIVERSE YET FOCUSED
Much like his diverse background, Leo produces a wide array of agricultural products. He incorporates rice, fruit-bearing trees, a duckery, a starting rabbitry, and catfish in his farmlands. He also houses vermicomposting beds. Among his successful production is a ginger plantation, which started off from just two crates. Through learnings from Department of Agriculture programs on small-scale farming systems, Leo’s ginger production grew to 24 crates, and he earns about Php 80,000 during harvest season, with the product sold at Php120 per kilo. “Manami gid mag-tanom it euy-a ngara hay bukon it trabahoso,” [“Growing ginger is a good option because it is not labor intensive”] he urges.
Income from ginger products contributes to the financial resources needed for the farm's future developments.
LEARNING IS HIS CHOICE
Leo is a proud beneficiary of the Farmers’ Field School (FFS) under the implementation of the Rice Extension Services Program (RESP) of the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF). He was trained under the support of the Agricultural Training Institute - Regional Training Center VI (ATI Region 6). Another opportunity that Leo is grateful for is the Palayamanan program implemented by ATI Region 6. Through the said program, he received construction materials, seeds, garden tools, nets, and other equipment to jumpstart his farming ventures.
Structure housing the farm's vermicast and compost-production operations.
NEW UNDERTAKING
A man of ambition and innovation, Leo is not settling on his present progress. He continues to explore further technologies on organic systems through online research and social media. Thanks to the video streaming platform Youtube, he discovered and has now invested in Black Soldier Fly or BSF (Hermetia illucens) production. A rising organic solution to waste management and agriculture, BSFs are insects larger than common house flies and are considered non-pests. Every stage of their life cycle has a significant purpose. The BSF’s larvae, for example, can be utilized for composting organic materials like household food scraps and agriculture waste products. Extensively, the larva is an alternative source of protein for animal feeds, pet foods, and the like. Leo applies this to his poultry products. He also observes that the organic compost collected from the BSF is of premium quality and has great market potential. Leo shares that the BSF technology has significantly reduced his expenses to about 30% since adoption, and deemed it as a worthy investment.
BSF do not bite and are highly beneficial to the environment. Unlike house flies, BSF is not associated with disease transmission.
OBSTACLES ARE INEVITABLE
Leo’s farm journey, however, is without hardships. His biggest and latest detriment was due to the strike of Typhoon Ursula last December 2019. Damaged crops include 900 papaya trees and 15,000 pepper plants, a monumental loss for his farm. He looks back to the experience without ease but does not allow the loss to hinder his efforts.
INTO THE FUTURE
Unafraid to aim further, Leo narrates, “Plano namon ubrahon ro area nga farm school. Uwa abi it farm school iya sa Mangan,” [“We plan to establish [a learning site and later,] a farm school here in Mangan since there aren’t any,”] Despite challenges in raising the appropriate financial requirement for his goal, Leo is determined. He envisions his farm to be a training ground where Mangan’s farming community can thrive through hands-on training and exposure to updated technologies in agriculture. He dreams of catalyzing farmers and farmer associations to become better decision-makers and subsequently, productive folks with higher-yielding livelihoods. Leo vies for a long-term partnership with ATI Region 6 in this endeavor.
Leo lays out plans for expansion by purchasing nearby pieces of land.
Through the values of patience, passion to inspire the younger generation and the vision of a sustainable farming community, Leo’s ultimate goal is to establish a vast learning and agri-tourism site, with facilities that can attract people of all ages. He is well underway on his objectives, declaring that “Nakatunga eon man kita,” [“We are halfway through”]. In ways more than one, he continues to exert effort and strive for farming excellence.
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