Elmer is popularly known as "Aming" in Molave. "I have proven that hybrid rice farming gives me more yield and profit although it needs more capital compared to planting inbred varieties," Aming declares.
With 5.0 hectare riceland, he is one of the leading hybrid rice producers in Salug Valley Area, the known rice granary of Zamboanga del Sur. Aming reckons that from 2004 to present, he devotes his area to hybrid rice. Except in 2005 when he experimented with inbred varieties to compare his yield in 2004 cropping and found out that hybrid varieties like bigante give him great yield and income.
From receiving dollars of being a seaman, he settles to earn pesos and be with his family especially so that his kids with wife, Amelita are growing up. "I consider hard work, perseverance and most of all the love what I am doing are my personal inputs to my farm. I am also blessed with supportive wife," Aming enthuses.
Aside from rice farming, the Soposo couple also engages in balut making. Their income from hybrid rice farming and balut making, can be at par of his earnings from working overseas.
But least Aming expects, that one day, his endeavors to produce more for own family's economic advancement, he will be honored by the Department of Agriculture as Outstanding Hybrid Rice Farmer in Zamboanga Peninsula region.
Aming owns a yield record high of 9.98 metric tons per hectare in 2009 with a net income of P174,640 per hectare against the P35,061 production cost each.
Every year, DA conducts the search for National Gawad Saka Awardees to recognize farmers, fisherfolk, farming and fishing-based organizations that exhibit exemplary performance in food production and entrepreneurship contributing to the sustainable agriculture and nation's food sufficiency.
And Aming's best farming practices especially on organic agriculture, catapulted him to be named as among the seven Agricultural Achievers in Region IX for 2010-2011 and gained the title as Regional Gawad Saka winner for Hybrid Rice category. He received cash prize of P15,000 and Plaque of Recognition from the Department of Agriculture Regional Field Unit IX during the Regional Farm Family Forum.
This distinction notches him to the national level as Mr. Soposo is Zampen's entry to the Search for National Gawad Saka Award to compete with all the Regional Winners of the same category from 17 administrative regions in the country.
Together with the six other Regional Gawad Saka winners, Regional Executive Director Carlos B. Mendoza is optimistic that Soposo will make it to the National Gawad Saka Award. Winners are to receive a Presidential Trophy and
Presidential Citation and cash award of not less than P100,000 to be awarded at Malacañang by the President.
Aming's fellow Regional Gawad Saka winners are 1) Maria, Dolores Dizon – Outstanding Corn Farmer from Bolong, Zamboanga City, 2) Larry Lomosad – Outstanding High Value Crops of Tampilisan, Zamboanga del Norte, 3) Jolly Degracia – Outstanding Small Animal Raiser of Imelda, Zamboanga Sibugay, 4) Dulian Rural Improvement Club (RIC) of Dulian, Zamboanga City, 5) Monteverde 4-H Club – Outstanding Young Farmer Organization of Culianan, Zamboanga City and 6)Rebokon Barangay Food Terminal –Outstanding Barangay Food Terminal.
For this year, 2009-2010, Mrs. Leonora Jukni from Datagan, Pagadian City won as the Outstanding Large Animal Raiser in the Philippines where President Aquino himself handed the award assisted by DA Secretary Proceso J. Alcala. The awarding ceremony was held at Malacañang last May 23.# (remai s. alejado/da9)
