From
survival to stability: The transformation of farmers in Kitcharao, Agusan Norte
By Nora
L. Molde
Before sunrise breaks over the fields of Kitcharao
in Agusan del Norte, the road leading to the LGU Farm is already alive.
The low rumble of engines cuts through the morning
stillness as trucks and motorcycles, heavy with freshly harvested vegetables,
make their way to the market. Farmers arrive one by one, unloading baskets of
eggplant, squash, okra, and leafy greens, produce that, not long ago, would
have been sold at prices barely enough to recover what they spent to grow them.
Today, the scene tells a different story.
Buyers gather early, scanning the rows of produce.
Conversations flow easily. Prices are negotiated face-to-face. There are no
middlemen dictating terms—only farmers and consumers meeting on equal ground.
This is “Tabo sa Kitcharao LGU Farm,” a twice-weekly
market day held every Tuesday and Friday. What may seem like a simple trading
space has become, for many farmers, a turning point.
For years, farmers in Kitcharao depended on
intermediaries who controlled the flow of goods and dictated prices. Earnings were
unpredictable, often leaving families struggling to make ends meet. But here,
in this open market, that cycle is slowly being broken.
By selling directly to consumers, farmers now take
home a bigger share of their hard work. The change is immediate, felt not just
in their income, but in their sense of control.
The local government of Kitcharao has quietly
reinforced this shift. Vehicles are deployed to collect produce from farms and
transport it to the market, easing one of the heaviest burdens farmers face:
the cost of taking their goods to the market. With the initiative, what used to
be an uncertain livelihood income has now become stable.
The effort reflects a broader push aligned with
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s directive to attain stronger agricultural
productivity, better market access, and fairer returns for farmers.
But beyond policies and programs, the real story is
found in the lives being rebuilt.
In Barangay Mahayahay, farmer Nelia Geroy remembers
when floods wiped out their vegetable garden. The loss was not just
financial—it cast uncertainty over how her family would recover.
Geroy received seedlings and assistance from the
local government, allowing her to start planting again on their 3.5-hectare
farm.
Recovery did not happen overnight. But season by
season, crop by crop, Geroy is finding her footing again.
Her story echoes across Kitcharao, where many
farmers are experiencing similar second chances under the Kitcharao Livelihood
and Employment Project (KLEP).
Launched in 2023, the program has steadily expanded
its reach. In its first phase alone, more than a hundred farmers collectively
produced over 126,000 kilograms of vegetables, generating millions in sales.
Subsequent phases brought in more farmers, more funding, and more
opportunities, including support for members of the Mamanwa indigenous
community.
Yet the impact of KLEP goes beyond numbers.
At the heart of the initiative is a three-hectare
LGU Farm in Sitio Lapucon, a space that serves not just as a production site,
but as a place for learning and growth. Here, farmers are introduced to modern,
integrated farming methods that combine crops, livestock, and aquaculture.
Instead of relying on a single harvest, they are
learning to diversify, spreading risk, increasing productivity, and creating
multiple sources of income.
Mayor Jenry Montante believes that lasting change
begins with knowledge. “I want our farmers to learn and be guided by the modern
way of farming. They will be equipped with the knowledge and skills to sustain
their livelihood.”
Training sessions, supported by agencies such as
the Department of Agriculture – Agricultural Training Institute, Bureau of
Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, and the Technical Education and Skills
Development Authority (TESDA), provide farmers with tools to adapt, whether it
means improving yields, adopting new techniques, or responding to shifting market
demands.
Even the farm itself is evolving. With a tilapia
pond and recreational fishing area, it is beginning to open doors to
agri-tourism, offering yet another stream of income.
What is happening in Kitcharao is not a sudden
transformation, but a steady one.
The early-morning activity and enthusiasm of
farmers in their daily farm-to-market routine attest to this transformation and
profound confidence. It is heard in conversations where prices are negotiated,
rather than dictated. It is felt in households where income is no longer as
uncertain as it once was.
Municipal Agriculturist Raul del Agua observed that
farmers are no longer simply producers at the mercy of the market. They are
becoming active players in a growing local food system, one that values their
work and sustains their future.
And as the sun rises higher over the LGU Farm, the
market continues to buzz with activity. Each sack of vegetables unloaded, each
sale made, carries more than just produce. It carries the weight of past
struggles and the promise of something better.
In
Kitcharao, the journey from survival to stability is no longer just an
aspiration; it is already a growing reality. (NCLM, PIA Agusan del Norte)
