Agripreneur urges farm tourism in SiquijorOrganic,integrated farming, agripreneurship pushed

By Rizalie A. Calibo

SIQUIJOR, Jan 17 (PIA) -- An established entrepreneur and organic farming practitioner from Negros Occidental strongly encouraged 'farm tourism' in Siquijor. 

“Siquijor is a big tourism potential but it is presently not food sufficient,” Ramon Peñalosa said noting that the province, like many other islands in the country, are not making use of the ‘island-economy concept ‘ where the potentials of the place and it’s locals are fully utilized. 

Siquijor does not have to be a food-importing island, he said recognizing the island’s agricultural potential and the inhabitants’ ability to go towards the direction of organic farming. 

Citing his 300-sq.m. micromodel farm of integrated natural farming business in Victorias City in Negros Occidental, Peñalosa said there is money in organic farming. 

“Hindi na uso ang conventional farming, dapat organic farming na,” he said noting that natural farming is already an irreversible trend globally and has grown to be a US$90 billion industry. 

He also pushed for farmers not to be just ordinary farmers but to be ‘agripreneur’ and adopt the integrated farming system that has earned him millions of pesos based on the number of income generating projects he calls “money machines” that he himself practiced in his micro-model farm. 

“You can do more for Siquijor,” he said to a group farmers, agriculturists and organic farm advocates visiting his farms in Victorias City and Manapla town in Negros Occidental. 

Peñalosa said, farmers just need to gain knowledge, business and experience. If Siquijor can provide these, tourism can be its main livelihood in the next five years, he added. 

The formula is: productivity plus creativity equals tourism, he said. 

While sharing to the group his knowledge and experience, he also challenged them to share with him the following advocacy: 

“Walang Pilipinong dapat magutom sa sariling bayan," "there is no unproductive soil, only unproductive farmer”; "there is money in the countryside"; and "the farmer who does not know how to pray is not a good farmer. (FCR/RACalibo/PIASiquijor)