GENERAL SANTOS CITY, (PNA) — The Department of Agriculture (DA) in Region 12 is pushing for the development of model integrated farms in the region following the success of one of its adaptors in this year’s prestigious National Gawad Saka Search.
Amalia Jayag-Datukan, DA Region 12 director, said Monday they were adopting such strategy as part of their ongoing efforts to develop more farmer-achievers or model farmers within the region’s four provinces and five cities.
Region 12, which is also known as the Soccsksargen Region, comprises the provinces of South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani, North Cotabato and the cities of General Santos, Koronadal, Tacurong, Kidapawan and Cotabato.
The official said one of the region’s initial model farm adaptors — Leonardo Primne Jr. — recently won the top prize in the 2013 National Gawad Saka Search-Outstanding Fisherfolk (fish culture) category.
Primne is a tilapia grower from Banga town in South Cotabato.
The farmer-achiever mainly relies on tilapia production for income but has ventured in the last several years in selling fingerlings and ornamental fishes.
Primne has been also raising livestock like cows and goats and has a small poultry venture at his farm.
He is considered a “Magsasakang Seyintista” or farmer-scientist after his two hectare-farm was chosen as by DA-12 as a model farm under its Palayamanan program.
Datukan said Primne is set to receive a Presidential citation and a cash award of P150,000 from the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) for winning the Gawad Saka.
Aside from Primne, two other entries from Region 12 were adjudged as winners in the National Gawad Saka Search.
They were Dr. Melchor Serquiña in the Outstanding Coconut Farmer category and Dr. Cayetano Pomares in the Outstanding Agricultural Scientist category.
Datukan said they’re hoping that the three winners will inspire other farmers in the region to venture into innovative farm practices and worker harder to become farmer-achievers as well later on.