7 farmers, coop from Nocot are Gawad Saka awardees
AMAS, Kidapawan City -- Seven farmers and a cooperative based in North Cotabato emerged as winners in different categories of the Department of Agriculture’s Gawad Saka Award 2014 Regional Level held at South Cotabato Cultural Gym in Koronadal City last May 30.
Jerry John M. Taray of Kibudtungan Carmen was chosen as the Outstanding Agricultural Entrepreneur- Small Scale category; Ella D. Pobre of Lower Dado, Alamada was Outstanding High Value Crop farmer; Girlie C. Adug of Marbel, Matalam won as Outstanding Sugarcane farmer; Jayson Roy P. Ancheta of Kibudok, Matalam was Outstanding Young Farmer; Paquito A. Laquihon of New Panay, Aleosan was cited as Outstanding Animal Raiser; Ariston D. Calvo, PhD of University of Southern Mindanao in Kabacan as Outstanding Agricultural Scientist, and Harris M. Sinolinding, PhD of Cotabato Foundation College of Science and Technology (CFCST) in Arakan as Oustanding Agricultural Researcher.
Don Bosco Multi-Purpose Cooperative-Bios Dynamis in M’lang, Cotabato was chosen as Outstanding Organic Farmers Organization.
DA-12 regional executive director Amalia Jayag-Datukan handed the awards to the winners.
Datukan lauded the winners for evidently good partnership between the provincial government, the local government units and the agriculture sector.
The winners received plaques, certificates and cash incentives from DA.
The cash incentives for each farmer-winner is P30,000 while the winning cooperative is P50,000. These will be used to augment their rice production.
All winners are automatically qualified for the Gawad Saka Awards National Level and will be competing with other outstanding farmers in Metro Manila this month.
Eliseo M. Mangliwan, provincial agriculturist, said the chosen outstanding farmers and cooperatives from Cotabato have exceptionally performed in their respective fields in agriculture and have positive impact in improving their livelihood as well as that of their community.
“As winners, our very own farmers have shown advancement and distinction in production and output and have employed agricultural technology to its utmost potential,” Mangliwan said.
Gawad Saka Award of the DA is an annual search for outstanding achievers in agriculture and fisheries that represent various stakeholders of the community like the farmers, fisher folk, farm communities, scientists and organizations.
These include their best practices, outstanding products and other exceptional endeavors in agriculture.
The Taray family of Kibudtungan, Carmen is the manufacturer of Tree Life Coco Sugar, a premium organic sugar made from coconut sap was awarded the Global Brand Award and the Global Excellence Award in October 2013.
The black rice of Don Bosco Multi-Purpose Cooperative (DMPC) in Makilala through Bios-Dynamis farming technique is also a highly regarded organic product.
DMPC has branches in other municipalities including the one awarded the best cooperative in M’lang.
In March, the province of Cotabato was awarded as one of the top 10 riceproducing provinces in the country, which according to Mangliwan proved that the rice production in the province has increased and the interventions of the provincial government and the agriculture department has truly worked for the farmers.