Page 41 - AREA-6_PPP-Entreprenership

ROGELIO ESPIRITU – MAGSASAKA SIYENTISTA OF FARMERS INFORMATION AND TECHNOLOGY SERVICES (FITS)
ECHAGUE

Harnessing the Opportunities of the Land

Rogelio Espiritu, 41 years old, comes from a landed family in Tuguegarao, Echague,
Isabela. A graduate of Agricultural Engineering from the nearby Isabela State University, he
pursued an earlier career as a field technician in a tobacco company in the early 90’s.
Three years after, Rogelio Espiritu resigned from his job to prepare for the board exam for
Agricultural Engineering, but he was not able to take the exam for personal reasons. Since he
did not take the exam, he decided to establish a techno demo oftobacco in his farm. Soon after
his demo farm, he got three contract jobs at a government agency for three months before he
transferred again to other private multinational agricultural company. He stayed there for three
years. Then again, he realized he was not happy being a mere employee.
Finally, in 2014, he realized his real calling – farming.

History of Involvement in Techno Gabay

His direct involvement in the Techno Gabay Program a technology transfer program of ISU-CVARRD-PCAARRD Project is
not that long yet. His experimental and academic backgrounds in agriculture, not to mention his active participation in various
seminars conducted by the Department of Agriculture made him stand out from the other farmers. He was then appointed as Magsasaka
Siyentista for the Farmers Information and Technology Services (FITS) of his hometown, Echague, dubbed Queen Town of the
Cagayan Valley. In general, he serves as a model to other farmers. Apart of his role as a mentor of some sort, he also appreciates the fact
that he gets invited to participate in training that hones his knowledge and skills in agriculture and other areas such as Information and
Communication Technology (ICT).

Enterprise/Farm Description

Currently, Rogelio owns a hectare of peanut farm adjacent to his house. Some 1.8 hectares are also planted to corn and cash
crops like ampalaya, squash, pole sitao and baguio beans, which serve as his alternative commodities. What is admirable about this
young farmer is his initiative and resourcefulness in generating considerable income from a not-so-ideal farm, in the shortest possible
time. This is considering that Echague soil is generally not ideal for cultivation of a variety of crops other than corn and peanut. Before
he ventured into a more or less substantial production of peanut, he planted yellow corn from which he derived his early income, including
vegetable crops.

Technologies and innovations applied

Rogelio is truly receptive of technologies and is innovative. He has been practicing the adopted technologies in peanut
production since he started his way to farming. He believes that certain package of technologies are recommended because these
have been proven effective. Based on his experience in peanut production, he claims that his yield had increased after using
technologies from DA. These technologies, scientific they might count to common farmers sometimes, are actually more practical
to use, lessening time and labor in farming. What he lacks however, he admits, are mechanized facilities that could further increase his
production. Nonetheless, he still gets considerably higher production as compared to neighboring farms. He keeps on searching for
innovation that could further increase his production.
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41 | P a g e - OBQA-PPP / Area VI: The Extension and Community Involvement/Entrepreneurship Program