He dreamt of working abroad as a mechanical engineer but life for him is not what he expected it to be- nevertheless, he embraced it wholeheartedly.
Mr. Samuel Bakiran, 53, born from Paracelis, Mtn Province, married to Mineva Anog with three children is now enjoying a life of a farmer business man at Calaccad, Tabuk, Kalinga. Aside from their ZKA Agricultural Trading business, the couple is set to fully operationalize their farm. Named after their third child, the Artemis farm, is a certified learning site on agriculture for corn production in 2021. Although it is focused into corn production, the area is being developed to make it an integrated farm to teach the community and the young people the right way of farming aside from being a source of their living.
“In the future, ket maengganyo tayu ti young people nga agka interesado nga agbalin nga farmers ta dakamin ket old, daytoy farm mi koma ket haan lang nga pag-alaan ti pangaldaw ngem pag-adalan ti dadduma ti umno nga pangtalon ken panagmula ti nateng”, assert the couple.
Samuel recalled their early days when they are still residing in Paracelis. Mainly, he worked as a jeepney driver and did farm works if not driving. Before, farming for them is doing the conventional way, as Samuel mentioned, they practiced “kaingin” (slash and burn) system because their parents did not own hectares of land for them to till. At that time Minerva while working as a government employee, started her small-time business- buy and sell of food products. Years later, they included to buy and sell corn grains aside from the food products.
From Paracelis, the couple decided to live in Minerva’s hometown in Tabuk, Kalinga. Samuel was able to buy a land in the area which they tilled for corn production while maintaining with their buy and sell business which until now, both activities are thriving.
As a corn farmer, Samuel is being invited by the Office of Agricultural Services (OCAS) of Tabuk to join seminars and training related to corn, for which he obliged. His participation to the trainings and seminars led him to meet the agencies and people that are instrumental in where and what they are now. He specifically mentioned Mr. Jerry Banawa and Mr. Edwin Dicksen, who are both the corn focal persons of DA-RFO-CAR and DA-ATI-CAR respectively. Being in the same field, the three became acquainted with each other and a started a good working relationship. Samuel happily shares that their bonding levelled up to friendship, and up to the very present, the two did not waver to give support to him and his family.
Success enabled by the right attitude
Between the couple, Samuel was the first one to consistently attend the trainings being invited to him by OCAS-Tabuk. He attended trainings and seminars related to good agricultural practices, internal control system, Sustainable Corn Production in Sloping Areas, yellow corn production, white corn production and its seed production, among others facilitated by the Department of Agriculture, mostly by the ATI-CAR.
“Inbaga da gapu ta umay kami agpaseminar haan mi nga ibaga nga ibatan yu dagita practice you additional lang, ta mas nalalaing kayu nu dakami”, says Samuel.
Minerva was also being invited for trainings on processing, which she willingly attended. Seeing herself learning, Minerva was almost present that even during her pregnancy with their third child, she is enjoying herself participating. ”Uray idi ub ubing isuna, kanayun ko nga tugot-tugot ni Artemis nu apan ak makitraining”, Minerva shares.
Showing their interests and being responsive to the invitations, they have gained the trust and confidence of the Department of Agriculture Regional Office and its bureaus.
At the start of their partnership with the DA, the couple that time are connected with the St. Williams Farmers Credit Cooperative, Samuel as the Manager and Minerva as the Secretary. With their eagerness to avail assistance and the full support from the members, they were inspired to submit proposals to DA. Through its Corn program, the Department granted the Coop with farm machineries (tractors, reaper, dryer,) and farm inputs that are very helpful to the members to decrease their costs on labor.
With the skills and knowledge on corn, the DA-RFO-CAR partnered with Samuel for a technology demonstration farm on white corn Flint seed production. He was certified by the DA-Bureau of Plant Industry as seed producer of white corn in the region after conscientiously attending trainings and meeting the needed requirements. Presently, he is also the president of the white corn seed producers’ association of the Region wherein he provides technical assistance to other white corn producers form the different provinces of CAR.
Samuel reiterates that his participation to trainings gave him more knowledge on proper farming. Before, their farm which is located near the river used to be a ‘bangkag’ (rolly hill) planted with Robusta coffee but was later flattened by the flood. He transformed the coffee area into corn farm practicing monocropping and conventional farming. After harvesting corn, he usually plants legumes like pole and string beans, and eggplants and other lowland vegetables. With the trainings, he learned to practice intercropping fully understanding the interaction of various crops. He does not need to fully rely on the use of commercial fertilizers as source of nutrients but the crops will complement each other.
With the various learning activities attended, Samuel testifies, “Talaga dakkel nagbaliwan ti panunot ken values ko…Haan ak nakapa-adal ti ubbing nu awan ti farming ken ti technologies nga inmay. Agpatingga lang ijay ag abono puro abono. Nu haan inmay da Sir Dicksen nga inbaga da nga kastoy ti aramiden tapnu mamingsan ka ti gastos, tinungpal tayu met… Dakkel ti diperensiya idi inmay ti technology ken ada in-award ti gobyerno nga machineries…. Idi inmay ti Department of Agriculture medyo inmangat ti apit, siyempre dakami nagpatingga kami lang (of what we already knew); ada makuna nga technology, ada nainayun sunga inmangat dagiti yield mi, at least nginmanto, na-observe ko diyay ijay white ken yellow corn”.
One character that a farmer-cooperator should have- is knowing the value of ownership and stewardship which Samuel possesses. He willingly provides counterpart to these projects.
There were instances that he used his personal resources just to attend trainings, seminars and the like in his yearning for learning. He encourages others as well to attend trainings saying to them, ‘haan yu panunuten dayta gastos you (use of personal resources), adan to ladta supapak na”, to which he certainly attests.
Recently, the DA partnered with their association for the construction of the multi-purpose pavement dryer. This was made possible because Samuel volunteered to counterpart in order for the intervention to prosper. He donated a 420 square meter land area for this and that they need to start the construction as the cost will be reimbursed by the DA.
Moreover, in 2021, the DA-BFAR-CAR partnered with them for the processing of tilapia noodles. They have agreed to it and provided counterpart for the construction of a processing center because they also saw this as an opportunity to promote other by-products of tilapia. This will also provide additional livelihood income for their community, especially the women’s group.
In addition, the same year, he was advised to become an LSA on corn production. He did not mind the financial counterpart the project entails to make it fully functional. For them, they just want their farm to become an avenue of learning in the area.
Getting accolades (in formal settings) perhaps is not a priority to him but with the encouragement of the OCAS and Corn program, he took part in the search for outstanding corn farmer. On June 28, 2019, Samuel was recognized as Outstanding Corn Farmer during the Gawad Saka and Achievers in Agriculture Awarding Ceremony on in Baguio City.
There is much beyond farming:
The couple is also into agribusiness. The buy and sell activity which they have started beforehand is being sustained and expanded. Minerva recalled the days when she was too challenged to sell the products as Samuel is too shy to help him sell. But now, the couple and the whole family made sure that they are all in this agribusiness endeavor. They have established the ZKA Agricultural Trading and put up a sari-sari retail store in Tabuk. It was their daughter, Crayon who is currently studying Doctor of Medicine encouraged them to put up a sari-sari store. Together with her older sibling, they have provided start-up capital for this.
Aside from production corn, presently, the couple continuously consolidate corn (white and yellow) which they sell to the traders. Later, they have considered heirloom rice to their trading business to help these farmers market their produce. They either buy directly the heirloom rice from the farmers or they will provide the inputs to the farmers. One good thing for them is that they directly go to the farm to haul the farm produced.
From there, their trading expanded to processed products like coffee, peanut butter, chili paste, black pepper powder, banana chips, turmeric, ginger tea, and noodles among others. They accommodate to sell the processed products of their fellow farmers in their sari-sari store so that other farmers will have a market for their products.
The pandemic brought a new opportunity for them and their community- the ZKart Online Store at Shopee was established by Crayon because she happened to attend an orientation seminar on how to start online shopping business facilitated by J&T Express Company. With the encouragement and technical support provided by the express company, the ZKart Store started its marketing business featuring various staple food. The online store gives opportunity for the products of the Kalinga farmers to reach the tables of other Filipino families. Processed products being sold online are chili paste, fried garlic, pepper granules, peanut butter, noodles, lemon and turmeric teas, and coffee. The main highlight is the rice- be this be red, black, glutinous or brown or blended with corn.
The couple also knows how to pay-it forward as they say.
“Haan lang nga produkto mi ti ilako mi ngem pati jay kakadua mi nga farmers ken processors tapnu makatulong kami. Ti problema da ket marketing isu napanunot mi nga gatengen ti produkto da ket ilako mi via online, ken promotion ti produkto nga magapu ditoy Kalinga” adds Minerva.
Resiliency fostered…..:
As they are succeeding in their endeavors, the couple had to face challenges and controversies. The couple openly relive the trials they have experienced. There was a point where their integrity is being questioned by others but they supported each other. With the issues confronting them, they remained steadfast and decided to continue with their farming and trading activities.
On the trials they need to endure, Minerva shares, “uray adu ti ups and downs ti biyag, haan tayu maiwasan ken haan tayu maplease ti kakadua, ngem haan tayu madisyamay nga aramided ti ansayat, agmula tayu aldta ti isumet pagbiyana tayu”.
Samuel affirms, “ Uray nu ada sumangpet nga didigra ket matamaan tayu, haan tayu mauma, nu kuna ti market nga 5 pesos ti presyo ti mais, agmula tayu ladta tapnu maengganyo ti sumarsaruno nga farmers ken tapnu ada ti agbalin nga successful farmers ditoy Tabuk”.
Finally, Samuel upholds their faith to God, “Thank you Lord, nabayadan dagiti utang mi. Dagitoy nga challenges ni Apo Diyos, ammuk testingen na dakami nu kas anu kami katebker”.
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