I had 2 opportunities to visit the
Binhi sa Panginabuhian Demo Farm in Barangay Batacabac, Maribojoc, Bohol this year. The first one was when I had to arrange the Bohol tour of a client from Laguna in April. The second was when a cousin and her family was visiting from the United States in July.
In April, I was exposed to the information about how the place was built from a barren land and into a very productive farm that is now a model institution in organic farming and poverty alleviation. Soft-spoken Maribojoc Mayor Jun Evasco himself spoke to the party from Laguna Technopark Environmental Management Group Tripartite Monitoring Team during that summer. In July, I accompanied my cousin and her family in a tour while they were vacationing in the Philippines.
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| Thadz with Mayor Jun Evasco |
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| Binhi sa Panginabuhian Demo Farm and Training Center |
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| Binhi sa Panginabuhian organic demo farm in Maribojoc, Bohol, Philippines |
Poverty Alleviation
The
Binhi sa Panginabuhian Organic Demo Farm is a success story worth noting. The local government of Maribojoc led by its soft-spoken mayor Jun Evasco, labored to turn what was once a barren land into a center of excellence in organic farming now being looked up to by local governments and organizations around the Philippines. The
demo farm is also the highlight of Maribojoc's drive to alleviate its citizens' status from poverty towards living better lives.
Everything Organic
Everything they feed the livestock at the
Binhi sa Panginabuhian farm is organic, and their plant-growing methods are all-natural as well. They use chili extensively to keep the animals healthy as it is a natural antibiotic. Vermicilli worms are used to fertilize soil. The forage they feed the goats are sprayed with a concoction of herbs and other organic substances.
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| Under the shade of an upo vine |
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| Staff preparing food for animals |
Plants
The organic farm engages in companion farming using natural methods in soil fertilization, farming, pollination, and harvesting. Crops in the farm include a variety of vegetables such as tomatoes, squash, and other crops.
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| Herbs |
Livestock
A key component of the demo farm at Maribojoc is its livestock. It is also what drives the poverty alleviation program of the Maribojoc LGU. It is worth noting that no artificial feeds or medicine is being used on this animals as everything is organic. The farm brews its own molasses, uses chili as natural antibiotics, and plants its own forage.
Goats
The farm raises Anglo-Nubian goats and one of the experiences tourists can take part is feeding the goats.
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| Feeding a goat |
Pigs
The farm breeds pigs. Much of the livelihood program involves handing out pigs for recipients to raise. Recipients initially receives a pair of piglets without any cost. They raise the swines and sell them at some point. They keep the profits while they return the initial cost to the local government unit. When successful, they can again be eligible to receive a new set of piglets to raise.
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| Pigs |
Poultry
Faverolles and Kabir chickens are also raised and bred at the Maribojoc Farm. A few turkeys are also being raised at the farm which also features incubators as they breed their own chickens.
Cattle
The Binhi sa Panginabuhian farm recently purchased 2 Holstein cows from New Zealand and aims to breed these cows to lend support to the farm program.
Reading up on your blog reminds me of the Rowena Heights in Danao, Bohol. They were originally fisher folk who got affected when the Inabanga plates rose after the earthquake. I had personally visited their community when I joined the Visayas Mountain Festival back in May. I had been in awe how their resilience and the willingness to survive transitioned them to being farmers. It was really worth the visit and I had been blessed to see them rise from a great disaster to a new life.
ReplyDeleteIt's amazing how people can rise above their limitations when they are pushed to the edge.
DeleteWhat a treat! Growing up in one of Cebu's mountain barangays has always exposed me to all sorts of food gardening and this reminds me of it.
ReplyDeleteYou'd love it there Anne, and you'll be amazed they don't use any artificial fertilizers, everything is really organic and nothing is ever wasted too
DeleteI am really impressive with their project and I hope that other towns will follow. I am also going to vote for a presidential candidate who will put importance on farming and food production. It will be very difficult for the country to sustain its progress if solely focus on technocrats while ignoring the agricultural sector. Well done Thads for featuring this demo farm.
ReplyDeleteThat's true, agriculture should be a priority. And Maribojoc uplifted the lives of their citizens from merely only hoping to work as house help to now become social entrepreneurs.
DeleteI didn't know chili can be an antibiotic. ;) anyways, I think it's great that everything there is organic and that the government is doing it to alleviate poverty. It's been a long time since I last visited a farm.
ReplyDeleteChili is a natural antibiotic, they place it in the drinking water for livestock in this farm. I didn't know that too prior to visiting.
DeleteI love how they use the organic ways in maintaining a healthy environment. Wow. I suddenly remember and miss the life in our province in Butuan. :)
ReplyDeleteI also loved how they were able to convince everyone that totally organic works, it wasn't easy they admit.
DeleteOur backyard had all sorts of animals and plants when I was growing up. My mom was younger and more excited about havings pigs and a garden. I remember spending most of my childhood days growing my part of the garden. :) This is nice. I'd like to see this someday!
ReplyDeletewww.twowaytravels.com
Wow! Didn't know you did some gardening ;-)
DeleteThis is a great program and I really appreciate it coz my father works for the Dept. of Agriculture. He did some backyard gardening at home so I grew up watering plants and even cleaning a piggery..heheh I hope this program will inspire more.
ReplyDeleteHopefully it will make people realize that agriculture can be a good way to help them get out of poverty
DeleteThis is a great social good activity Sir Thadz!
ReplyDeleteI'm also advocating for organic products and it's a good thing that I have an ally to this advocacy.
I am amazed how Maribojoc has integrated a socialist-themed project in a capitalist context. And going organic also means sustainability in the long term
DeleteI've been to Maribojoc during their fiesta and it seems like the people have moved on from the devastating earthquake already. Glad to hear that Mayor Evasco is still doing a great job for Maribojoc. ^_^
ReplyDeleteYeah, Maribojoc has moved on despite getting little help from the national government. Mayor Evasco is a leader worth emulating
DeleteI remember visiting a place somewhere here in Cebu during my son's field trip when he was in preschool. It's a property owned by an engineer (I think!) and they grow livestock and plants organically. The owner's house is also made of repurposed and recycled material. Very similar except that the one in Maribojoc seems to be a bigger scale.
ReplyDeleteWas that Engr. Archival's house in Budlaan?
DeleteRegardless of whether it is joined in food organic garlic sources, made into salad dressings, marinades and sauces or eaten as cloves, garlic makes food delicious and charming.
ReplyDelete