Author: Agri Info Davao
Maximizing farm productivity is more than just increasing volume and quality of a certain commodity.
For Yoy Saban, it is the ability of your agri-venture to inspire hope and develop that spirit of unity among people for a sustainable and productive farming community.
With his 300-square meter production area in Sitio Tapicong, Magsaysay, Davao del Sur, he proves that bulb onion can really thrive in Davao region contrary to early beliefs that it can only be grown in Luzon—making him one of the only few bulb onion farmers in Davao region.
“This cropping season, I harvested 600 kilos of bulb onion. This can be sold at P130 per kilo. I can really say that bulb onion production is a profitable venture. That is why I am encouraging my fellow B’laans to go back here in the community and once again cultivate their idle lands they left behind,” said Yoy.
Series of earthquake rocked the upland areas of Magsaysay in 2019, which resulted to destructive landslides. This was also the main reason for the B’laans to leave their farms and chose the life as laborers and workers in the downtown areas.
But with Yoy’s successful agri-venture, B’laans are now returning home and once again take advantage of the opportunities in upland farming.
Yoy and his community’s efforts to revitalize the agri production areas were actively supported with the pooling resources from the Department of Agriculture-XI and the LGU Magsaysay.
The community is a beneficiary of the DA-XI’s P1-million Spring Development Project to provide more efficient water system for their crops and the people residing in the area. Before, they spent P25 for every gallon of water from the creek to water their plants. Now, they have the faucet right at their doorsteps and farms.
“Under the Damgo sa Kabukiran Program of the LGU, we will push for the provision of Farm-to-Market Roads for easier market access and provide production support such as onion seeds preferred by our farmers. This is to cut down the production and transportation cost,” said Magsaysay Municipal Agriculturist Helen Carampatana.
On his part, DA-XI Regional Executive Director Abel James Monteagudo said that the agency is always ready to provide the appropriate assistance to its farmer-beneficiaries.
“Recently, our onion farmers reached out and asked for marketing support for their bulb onion. Our office took the challenge to link them to our Kadiwa market outlets and institutional buyers. Of course, our employees also bought the produce as part of our Support Local, Be a Hero campaign,” said Monteagudo.
More of Yoy’s inspiring story of hope and community transformation will be featured as a documentary film here at Agri Info Davao. | via Celso C. Vergara, Regional Public Relations Officer II
Photo credit: Ronell Tangonan and Kim Royo, RAFIS11
Credit: Agri info Davao Facebook Page
