A FAMILY of farmers from Atok, Benguet and a farmers association will lead this year’s regional search in the annual Agriculture Gawad Saka search for outstanding achievers in agriculture and fisheries by the Department of Agriculture (DA)-Cordillera Administrative Region.
Out of the 40 entries who submitted for the 16 categories of the regional Gawad Saka, 15 from the different provinces were declared as winners in their respective category.
Five winners each come from the provinces of Kalinga and Benguet, three from Ifugao and one each from Apayao and Abra.
The regional institutional category winners are Jose Sacley Family, Outstanding Farm Family from Cattubo, Atok, Benguet, Calaocan Farmers Association in Rizal, Kalinga, Outstanding Small Farmer, Aguinaldo 4-H Club in Aguinaldo, Ifugao, Outstanding Young Farmers Organization, Bantay Rural Improvement Club in Tabuk, Kalinga, Outstanding Rural Improvement Club; Ifugao Provincial Agriculture and Fishery Council (PAFC) in Ifugao, Outstanding PAFC, Bakun Municipal Agriculture and Fishery Council (MAFC) in Bakun, Benguet, Outstanding MAFC, Tinongdan Barangay Food Terminal (BFT) in Tinongdan, Itogon Benguet, Outstanding LGU-Managed BFT and Hungduan Employees Multi-Purpose Cooperative BFT in Hungduan, Ifugao, Outstanding Non-LGU-Managed BFT.
This year’s regional Gawad Saka winners for the individual category were Honorio Clemencia, Outstanding Rice Farmer Adopting Integrated Rice-Based Farming System from Tabuk City, Kalinga, Rafael Ayala, Outstanding Corn Farmer from Sta. Marcela, Apayao, Rebecca Faustino, Outstanding High Value Crops Farmer from Tublay, Benguet, Romeo Kimbungan, Outstanding Organic Agriculture Farmer from Tuba, Benguet, Grace Agtina, Outstanding Agricultural Entrepreneur from Tabuk, Kalinga, Jonard Manzano, Outstanding Young Farmer from Tabuk, City and Lorma Azurin, Outstanding Sugarcane Farmer from Bangued, Abra.
The regional executive committee headed by Balbina Ernesto, RAFC-CAR chairperson and Dr. Lorenzo Cargauian, DA-CAR director together with the regional executive committee headed by Dr. Danilo Daguio and Dr. Cameron Odsey, regional technical director for operations and regional technical director for research and regulatory respectively spearhead the screening and validation for this year’s search.
Winners of the Regional Gawad Saka were automatically nominated to represent the Cordillera Region to the National Gawad Saka Search 2017.
The Gawad Saka is the most prestigious award given by the Department of Agriculture for outstanding individuals, farmers and fisher folks, as well as rural-based organizations, for their exemplary contributions to the advancement of the agriculture and fishery sectors. (PR)