By Edwin O. Fernandez
MIDSAYAP, North Cotabato, Aug 23 (PNA) — The Local government of Midsayap has given its full support to this town’s nominee for the Department of Agriculture for Gawad Saka – Search for Outstanding Young Farmers 2015 in National Level.
Mayor Romeo Arania of Midsayap said the local government will provide “all out support” for Neil Howard V. Henry, a 4H Club member of Barangay Poblacion 2 and the only person who qualified for the National Level Competition with his entry project on high value crops such as Lanzones, Durian, Rambotan and Mangosteen located in Barangay Sadaan in this municipality.
Municipal Agriculturist Cesario G. Carcosia said in an interview that the competition is exclusively for 4H Club members only and lucky to have Henry as the town’s contender for the National Level Award as he had been awarded in Regional Level last May at DA Center in Tupi, South Cotabato.
“We are now working hard in the land area of Henry with the support of her mother, Nora Henry, in assisting the farm where his project is located and had been furnished the access road through the help of LGU’s with sand and gravel going to the farm in preparation for the evaluation date of the entry project,” Carcosia said.
Carcosia believed that through the combined efforts of LGU and DA, the project will help in improving the capacity in increasing the way of life of farmers that will result in the development of agricultural products, food security as well as in reaching sustainable development in the community.
The Henry farm had been evaluated by the DA National Gawad – Saka Evaluation Team last month.
“I received another excellent report that the young top performing individual in agricultural sector from this municipality will compete in the National Level,” he said.
“It is an overwhelming part that with the exerted effort of the farmers, we are now reaping the best of the best in agricultural sector,” the mayor said.
Just recently, eight Midsayapeños were awarded as outstanding Agricultural Extension Workers (AEW’s) during the DA 2015 Gawad Saka Awards Agri Pinoy Rice Achievers Awards – National Level in Tupi, South Cotabato, same date when Neil Henry bagged the award for outstanding Young Farmers 2015 – Regional Level.
The awardees who have exerted efforts in reaching goals in the campaign for food sufficiency and security in North Cotabato were Cesario Carcosia, Efren Rosagaran, Nora Henry, Letecia Gaspar, Rosario Ibesate, Jocelyn Falloran, Jessie Ducusin and Rey Ygay.
With this, all awardees (Individual Category) received the Plaques of Appreciations and cash incentives from DA for garnering the prominent awards.
Arania encouraged the farmers and their children in the municipality to grab every opportunity to join any search or award–giving body.
He also urged farmers and fisher folk in Midsayap’s 40 villages to attend and support programs such as training and seminar workshop on Agriculture to be more productive in technology and farming expertise. (PNA)