THE Department of Agriculture in Negros Island Region (DA-NIR) Friday recognized farmers in the province, who advanced as this year’s regional winners in various competitions initiated by the agency.
Dubbed “Mga Natatanging Magsasaka at Mangingisda ng 2016,” DA-NIR named 22 farmers, organizations and agricultural extension workers (AEWs) as Gawad Saka awardees, eight winners of the Organic Agriculture Achievers Awards, two outstanding rural women, and seven outstanding local farmer technicians, all from Negros Occidental.
The region’s Gawad Saka awardees, who also emerged as winners in the national level, are Jerry Dionson as Outstanding Organic Agriculture Farmer and Bonifacio Villarenia and family as Outstanding Farmer Family.
Aside from 11 recipient-AEWs, other regional awardees are Aurora Barredo of Victorias City as Outstanding Agricultural Entrepreneur; Crisanto Umba of San Carlos City – Outstanding Integrated Rice Farmer; Johnic Dela Cruz Binubuhan Youth Organization – Outstanding Young Farmer Organization; Wilfredo Delos Reyes Jr. – Outstanding Integrated Corn Farmer; Francisco Chan Jr. – Outstanding High Value Crops Farmer; Hacienda Asuncion Taborda – Outstanding Rural Improvement Club; San Carlos Agriculture and Fishery Council – Outstanding Agriculture and Fishery Council; and Codcod Agrarian Reform Community Cooperative – Outstanding Small Farmer Organization.
For Organic Agriculture Achievers Award, Dionson and Villarenia family were joined by Armigenia Benedicto as Outstanding Provincial Focal Person; Leni Lacuesta – Outstanding City Focal Person; Dieza Etchon – Outstanding AEW; Onopra – Outstanding Farmer Group; San Carlos City – Outstanding Local Government Unit; and Negros Occidental – Outstanding Province.
Of the eight regional awardees, Dionson was awarded as this year’s national winner.
For Outstanding Rural Women, DA-NIR awarded Jocelyn Hekrdle of Toboso, who also won in the national search. The agency also named Lucilla Perartilla as the region’s Outstanding Assisting AEW.
This year’s outstanding local farmer technicians are Johnic Dela Cruz, Sarah Villaflor, Joecilito Robles, Jose Romie Vanguardia, Jerico Vergavera, Lucita Diano as well as Dionson.
Aside from trophies, the regional winners received certified rice seeds from the agency amounting to about P50,000.
DA-NIR officer-in-charge director Joyce Wendam, who led the awarding rites at the May’s Organic Garden in Bacolod City yesterday, said these farmers and agricultural workers should be recognized for their huge contribution in the development of the agriculture sector.
Wendam challenged them to work more so that the region can sustain and even surpass its achievements for this year.
“We still have many potential farmer-winners thus, we are optimistic to achieve more awards next year,” she said, stressing that “we just have to push them more and improve our documentation for table and field evaluations.”