OPOL, Misamis Oriental -- After dedicating 44 years to shaping minds as an agriculture professor at the Mindanao State University (MSU), Dr. Celeste N. Querijero was offered a prestigious international consultancy post, a tempting opportunity that recognized her expertise and decades of experience.
But she chose to stay closer to home to empower small farmers in the community by sharing her knowledge of sustainable farming that defined her teaching career.
"Even before I retired, I already had a deep passion for agriculture,” she said. “As MSU’s coordinator for extension services, I saw firsthand the pressing needs of our farmers. They wanted knowledge, access, and a stable livelihood. So after retirement, I volunteered myself to serve. It’s my way of giving back after all the blessings I’ve received throughout my career.”
True to this calling, Querijero founded the CNQ Diversified Farm in Sitio Saguing Patag, named after her initials. With mushrooms as her flagship crop -- an expertise she honed while writing her dissertation in Thailand — she began cultivating oyster mushrooms, and later expanded into a diversified farm ecosystem, which includes mulberries, ilang-ilang, coconuts, mangoes, vegetables, legumes, peanuts, sweet potatoes, and ube.
Empowered by Landbank support
To scale up her farm’s operations, Querijero tapped Landbank’s low interest financing under the Agricultural Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (ACEF) Lending Program, implemented in partnership with the Department of Agriculture (DA).
The funds enabled her to invest in modern equipment and build a multi-purpose facility as an additional production area and training venue for farmers and stakeholders.
From an initial annual yield of 8,000 oyster mushroom packs, CNQ Diversified Farm now produces 20,000 packs distributed to leading malls such as SM, Ayala, and Robinsons, and even reaching markets in Bohol and Cebu.
The expansion also created employment for 21 locals, with women comprising 80 percent of the workforce.
A learning hub for sustainable and inclusive farming
Beyond its produce, what sets CNQ Diversified Farm apart is its role as a learning hub for sustainable and inclusive farming.
Querijero regularly hosts agriculture-related training sessions in partnership with Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (Tesda), Department of Science and Technology (DOST), Provincial Agriculture Office (Pagro), and other government agencies.
Querijero is even in talks with European stakeholders who are interested to take agri training programs.
The CNQ Diversified Farm is fast becoming a model for sustainable and inclusive farming, and a convergence zone for universities, government institutions, and local government units eager to replicate its success and promote rural development.
The farm’s innovative practices have also become the subject of academic research, culminating in a published book authored by graduate students.
“I’m here to guide and teach — not just to build a farm, but to build lives,” said Querijero. “Landbank made this possible by believing in my vision. The loan gave me breathing room — low interest, one-year grace period, and flexible terms — so I could focus on growing before repaying.”
Landbank’s steadfast commitment to agriculture
Landbank serves as the DA’s conduit bank in implementing the ACEF Lending Program, which is designed to empower marginalized players in the agriculture sector through affordable credit and support services.
Under this program, individual farmers and fishers can borrow up to P1 million, while cooperatives, associations, and MSMEs can access up to P5 million for farm inputs, machinery, and facilities essential to production and processing.
As of March 2025, Landbank has released P14.6 billion in loans under the ACEF Lending Program, benefiting 97,162 borrowers nationwide — 98 percent of whom are small farmers and fishers. (PR)