God is in this story; God is in the details…., this is perhaps the best way to describe the journey of the Lumas-i family of the Bacayan’s Farm at Tannubong, Ipil, Tabuk, Kalinga.
The 2.6-hectare Bacayan farm presently is a certified learning site for agriculture (LSA) funded by the Rice Competitiveness Fund (RCEF). As a rice-based integrated farm, lowland vegetables and itik-egg production are among the farming activities currently being undertaken. Further, TESDA CAR partnered with them to offer the course on Production of High-Quality Inbred Rice, and Seed Certification, and Farm Mechanization. The immediate certification was facilitated by the availability of land area to serve as a hands-on training area and machineries like combine harvester and thresher, which they personally purchased to be used in their farming activities.
Michael’s Igorot name is Bacayan which he used to register as the name of the farm. He is also fondly called as ‘doc’ in their community and he is not called as ‘doc’ for nothing. As cooperator for technology demonstration areas for quite some time, partner agencies usually instruct him on what are to be done. Sometimes, Michael does not follow instructions and do things based on his instincts, with of course based on his knowledge, skills and years of experience in rice farming. At the end of it, the decisions he made are usually right.
His wife, Angie, and their children fully support the decision of their farm to serve as learning site. Presently, the farm is a standard example of family business enterprise where each has importance role to make their operation a success.
With the two-day stay with family, this provided us a glimpse of the Bacayan Farms’ operation.
Foremost, the family members and farm workers are set to have a breakfast together before doing their respective responsibilities. The couple provided first instructions and reminders to the farm workers. Michael also needed to answer his cellphone every now and then for coordination, directives among others as he is also a leader with other social responsibilities aside from being a farm owner.
After breakfast, each family members are also set to do their own tasks.
Micah, the youngest, joined by his husband, carefully wiped and packed the eggs as ordered. They also do this with the freshly harvested vegetables like eggplant,
cucumber, and tomato. They needed to prepare these ready for distribution to the buyers, which usually are ordered beforehand. Farm produce are being sold while the farm does not have an ongoing class.
Despite the rainy morning, other farm workers are seen in the rice field doing the roguing. Roguing is defined as the systematic removal from the seed production field of off-types, plants of another crop or variety and diseased plants; or removing by hand plants of the variety for seed that do not appear healthy or sufficiently characteristic. While roguing can be done under the rain, supplemental pollination or locally called as ‘pagpag’, needs to be done when the pollens are dry. On this, the farm workers and the couple are hoping for the rain to stop as they are scheduled to do the ‘pagpag’ by rope pulling. In here, two workers hold the end of a long nylon rope from both ends and start pulling the rope back and forth to shake the pollens from the panicles. Rice is basically a self-pollinated crop and hence there is a need to give supplementary pollination to enhance outcrossing. Supplementary pollination is a technique of shaking the pollen parent so that the pollen grains are shed and effectively dispersed over the A line plants. (http://riceportal.in/content/supplementary-pollination)
Finally, the rain stopped. Immediately, farm workers set the long nylon ropes in the rice fields waiting for the pollens to be dried out before doing the ‘pagpag. The farm needs to do this as scheduled in order not to delay the rice seed production.
Prior being a LSA owner, Michael partnered with the SL Agritech Corporation (SLAC) to produce hybrid rice seeds. The farm committed certain area for the said endeavor. Accordingly, this is part of the agreement entered into by the Philippine government and SLAC as partners in ensuring the availability of the hybrid rice seed in the country. The partnership expanded the knowledge and skill of Michael and his family members on rice production as new technologies are being demonstrated in the farm.
On the other part of the farm is the vegetable area that grows various lowland crops- most of them are on their harvestable stage. Crops grown there will certainly thrive because of the good soil conditions. Accordingly, the soil in the area is clayish before but the couple was able to transform that part into an arable one. Knowing the importance of good soil condition, they invested so much in that area incorporating rice hulls, coffee, and corn husks among others until such that those were made part of the soil. To maintain the soil condition, good agricultural organic practices are being done.
A farm house is constructed in the middle of pond. The area used to offer a fishing and boating activity to the visitors especially during the pandemic. Presently, the pond caters to itik and itik-egg productions. Supposedly, these enterprises were provided to an association they belonged with. However, these enterprises are taken cared of the Lumas-i family since they have the area suitable for such. A certain portion from the income is given to the association.
RCEF as facilitator for advocacy
The couple beforehand already practicing diversified farming. In 2010, he is an awardee of the National Gawad Saka as Outstanding Hybrid Rice Farmer Award. As prizes, they were given drum seeders to be used for their farming activities. However, it was only through the RCEF that they utilize the drum seeder and experienced its benefits. Further, with the RCEF, they need to demonstrate the use of rice transplanter in their farming activities. The rice transplanter can be operated by anyone and that even the children may assist in the operation. Moreover, the rice planted with it can easily grow and recover unlike those that are manually transplanted, aside from having a uniform planting distance.
Generally, as an LSA, they made sure to apply and incorporate the mechanization in their farming activities. They attest that use of machineries lowers the cost of the inputs in their rice farming activities as less man powers are required.
With the study undertaken for the RCEF program, there is a 30% increase of the farm income to the family because of employing the technologies and practices under RCEF.
Being an RCEF-implementing partner was not that easy path for them during the earlier days. There was a point where they able to have 38 enrollees, but only eight completed the said course. These eight graduates are whom they now considered as the ‘success stories’ of the farm school. It is good to note, that some of those who did not continue re-enrolled to finish the course being offered by the farm. Micah shares, ‘maragsakan kami nu ada masabat mi nga mang-ibagbaga- agpaysu gayam jay inadal tayu panggep panagrecord. Idi nalpas adal tayu ken nag-apit, nagrecord ak ket nakitak nga ada gayam ganansiya”. (What we learned about recording are true, I did record and I learned that indeed, I have a gain from my harvest.)
Further, the couple added, that they now see the fruits of advocating the good rice production management. He recalls, “idi ah ket ipapilit da ti kayat ken ammu da, ngem tatta inot-inot met ket nakita da usto nga wagas gapu ti trainings. Kasla iti panag-usar ti drum seeder. Ada ti maysa nga kanayun nga mang konkontra, ngem tatta ket isunan kadua mi nga mang ibagbaga ti kinamayat ti drum seeder ti dadduma. Nu ti panagpadanum, ti ammu ti farmers ket adu ti kailangan ti pagay isunga idi ket awan ti dumanun ditoy banda mi. Ngem tatta ket ammu dan ti usto, sunga tatta adun makadanun ditoy banda”.
(Fellow farmers tend to do what they know is right, but because of the trainings they now learned the benefit of using a drum seeder and proper water management).
With the issues besetting the government like the rice tariffication law (RTL), they took the chances to share their ideas in their classes.
When trying to answer issues on this, some farmers usually tell them, ‘imbag kayu ah ta farm school” (good for you, you are farm school, so you don’t experience the negative effect of RTL. In calm ways, they answer, ‘habang naad-adal mi ti RCEF, isu ngarud nga ik-ikan da datayu ti high yielding varieties, haan nga jay da dati (varieties) nga iulit-ulit. Iti RCEF, isursuro da mangpalaka ti gastos tapnu ada apitem, ada kitaem. Iti number one nga pagrigrigatan ti farmers ken bin-i. Isu nga idi nasuro dan nga 20 kilos (either hybrid or inbreed) ket umanay ti maysa hectare ad adu mai-save da ijay bin-i. Maysa pay, isursuro nu kas anu jay pag spray (proper and right application-timing), ada lang makita nga agtay tayab ket haan dapat agspray nga dagus.”
Angie continues that other farmers usually ask them why they are not spraying to their plants.
She answers, at the same time giving them advises, “dayta ngarud jay kunada nga ad ad-adalen tayu ti FFS nga nu adu ti beneficial insects ket haan kailangan agspray…. Dagita sapot ti spiders isu ti mangsapot ti kalaban nga insekto ket nu agspray ka, matay dan ti spiders… Isu kanayun ko nga ibaga-baga, ma-asiyan kayu ti bagi yu, malaksid pay nga ma-poison ti bagi yu ti kai-spray, kitaen yu haan kayu pay naka PPE, agsigarilyo kayu pay. Anya ngay serbi yu ag ta-trabaho sabay ibaga yu nga narigat ti biyag. Sino ba ti mangpar-parigat kanyau? Saan yu abusu-en ti bagi yu.”
(That is why through the RCEF, we are being taught to use high quality rice seeds, that we can use 20-kilo seeds (either hybrid or inbreed) for one hectare. We are also being taught on proper timing and right way of spraying. In the FFS, we are learning about beneficial insects like the spiders and the use of PPEs.)
The then.
In 2019, Michael, at that time was the chair of the Regional Agriculture and Fishery Council (RAFC). Every after their meeting at the DA-RFO Baguio, he typically visits other Offices like NIA-CAR and ATI-CAR. During one of his visits to ATI-CAR, Mr. Cristino Balancio saw and asked him he wanted to become an LSA. Immediately, he submitted a letter of intent.
That very day when asked to apply as LSA, without hesitation, Michael submitted his application letter. He already had knowledge on what is LSA is all about. As a P4MP leader, he is being invited to attend meetings along with other RBOs groups like LSAs, MS, and RIC.
During meetings where LSA and MS are being discussed, in his heart, Michael silently prays, ‘maysa ak met koma ijay”. Despite not being an LSA, Michael continuously engaged into farming and slowly develop his area. True enough, at the perfect time, that dream God placed in his heart became a reality as he now joined the LSA family in the Region.
Similar with other success stories, Michael and Angie needed to endure the test of time.
Angie also recalled that she applied to work abroad but Michael persuaded her to stay saying
– “apay nu anya ti apan mo gatangan ijay ket nu ada met lang ditoy… ket nagbayag nga taw-en awan metten en haan ko la magatang jay ar arapa paapek, agyaman ak ta haan ko intuloy, etan mabalin ngem apan agpasyar jay dadduma nga lugar”.
The couple started tilling the farm and for years slowly develop the area. They used to live in a small house as they called kubo. At that time, there is no road connection in the area giving the family a hard time to go to the town’s center.
The couple’s children, even at young age were exposed to farming activities, which they said-they enjoyed. The children needed to experience and endure the hardship of putting meals in the tables so as to give them the courage to teach others now.
Two of their children did not graduate from college. They opt not to because they knew the hard works of their parents to provide their needs to go to school. At that time, three of them are already in college. Although they did not finished college, they are fulltime trainers in their farm school, like their parents. Serving as trainers in the farm school, their capability to teach was then questioned during the early days of teaching. This was so because, most of their students are fellow farmers who are older than they are. Their parents attest that they also know the basics of farming saying, ‘ammu dagita ti kamote ken mani’, because as young as they are, they are already tending to farming activities with their parents. Coupled with experiences and series of trainings they attended that widened their knowledge, they confidently stand in front sharing their knowledge and skills on agriculture need not to prove that they are really worthy to be called as trainers.
Partnership: One of the building blocks of their success.
Although the couple are into farming, it was Angie who first showed the passion to learn about new farming technologies so she took time to attend seminars, trainings, and fora, among others. Michael was then ‘too shy’ to interacts with other people. Even then, Angie patiently invited him to join seminars and open his doors for networks until such time that Michael had the confident to personally interacts with others and expand their partnerships. And now, he is very good at it building and sustaining relationship with others- a virtue that serves as one of the building blocks of their success.
The farm always caters to various visitors from government and private agencies and individuals. Even for short visit, Michael and the family made sure that the concerns of these visitor are well attended to- be it for monitoring, updates, simply a short visit and or storytelling. The family took time to share stories, learn and laugh with the people visiting them, over cups of flowing coffee of course.
Michael, being a farmer leader, made sure to attend to his responsibilities to other farmers and to assert the voice of farming community.
With the inevitable rice field conversion to commercial areas in Tabuk, together with other stakeholders, they are recommending the need to expand the rice production areas to other places. In support to this plan, the Bacayan’s farm is set to conduct mobile class to other municipalities like in Tanudan. Through this mobile class, they can share the technologies being employed to help increase the yield of the fellow farmers.
Part of their plan to extend their links with other agencies while sustaining their existing networks. In time, they are set to collaborate with the DepEd on Agri and Fishery Strand under the Technical Vocations Livelihood (TVL) track of the K12.
For years, the family patiently developed the farm into what it is now. With their passion to develop the area, it now becoming one of most visited places. The farm is one of the testimonies of rising above the challenges and endured the difficulties of life that they may willingly share their life stories to other to be inspired. It is the love for farming and to share knowledge that bind them together. The farm is operational with the full commitment of the family members to make the farm school as avenue to teach good and sustainable farming practices and opportunity to inculcate right values to others.
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