Entrepreneurial Farmer

“Livestock In Tagas, Tangalan, Aklan”

Ambrosio R. Villorente

In a study: Livestock In Tagas, Tangalan, Aklan conducted by Anna Mae S. Torneo and Riza P. Villanueva, they made the following conclusions: 1. Livestock being raised in brgy. Tagas are chicken, swine, ducks, cattle, carabao and goat; 2. Most of the livestocks raised are consumed by the producers; 3. The primary occupation of the people is farming, and some of them are caretakers of private land, 4. Some of the farmers have idle land and 5. They received no assistance from the government either technical or financial. Torneo and Villanueva had as their respondents 52 heads of families in Brgy. Tagas, Tangalan, 27 of whom were females and 25 were males. Their mean age was 55 which ranged from 25 to 75 years old.

Some 16 or 31.37 percent of the respondents admitted they have no cash income from their livestock project. However, 10 or 21.57 percent reported P10,000 annual income from their project, 9 or 17.65 percent got P20,000 and six (6) or 11.27 percent got P5,000.

As to their project expenses, 9 or 17.65 percent spent none; one or 1.97 percent spent P50,000; 16 or 29.41 percent spent P1,100; 22 or 23.53 percent spent 1000; 9 or 17.65 percent spent P5,000 and five (5) or 9.8 percent spent 10,000 each.

Asked what are their farm problems, the respondents answered the attack of pest and diseases is their prime problem, followed by calamity, lack of water and capital. 

Based on the findings of the study, the agricultural projects in Tagas, Tangalan are losing because the respondents are not well assisted in terms of both technical and financial assistance.

With these findings, who among the Aklanon youth will go back to the farms? The annual income reported by the respondents will discourage our probable farmers in engaging in agriculture projects and shift to other vocations.

In a survey conducted among the 80 third year students in the ASU college of agriculture in 2014, only one expressed his desire to engage in farming after his graduation from College.

This negative attitude of the Filipino youth toward agriculture is highly dangerous. Who will inherit the Philippines farms and produce enough food for the ever increasing Philippine population? 

Does this negative attitude of these 79 third year agriculture students of ASU exist with other students taking agriculture courses in other agriculture colleges in the Philippines?

Tangalan

Tangalan is one of the 17 towns of Aklan. It is 19 kilometers away from the capital town of Kalibo. At its north is Sibuyan Sea, southwest of it is Ibajay, and Northeast of Makato.

In 2010, Tangalan has 20,277 people living in its 15 barangays. Tangalan is largely agriculture and fishing municipality. Rice and coconuts are considered Tangalan’s chief products. Banana, corn, abaca, root crops and vegetables are also grown. Aqua marine culture and marine products are also of economic importance to Tangalan. 

Land Use

Tangalan has a total area of 7,458.5473 hectares being utilized as follows: agriculture – 3,235.562 hectares or 43.38 percent, forest – 3,516.3 hectares or 47.3 percent; Eco-Tourism – 307.439 hectares or 4.12 percent; fishponds – 280.7515 hectares or 3.76 percent; built-up – area – 62.9945 hectares or 0.8 percent; and rivers and creeks – 47.5 hectares – 0.64 percent.

Notice that in the general land use, Tangalan has big area for forest. Forest occupies 47.3 percent of the total land area of Tangalan. However, is this forest areas has growing trees? If there are, how many hectares have trees and how many hectares are devoid of trees or bald? Torenea and Villanueva graduated with the degree AB MassCom at the Northwestern Visayan Colleges, Kalibo, Aklan in March 2013. 

DOST Scholar

Of the 37 Aklanons who qualified for the science and technology scholarships in 2014 sponsored by the Department of Science And Technology, seven (7) are Kalibonhon. Nobody qualified from the town of Buruanga.

Banga, Ibajay, and Lezo municipalities had three (3) scholars each. Malinao, Batan, Altavas, Malay, Balete, Numancia, Nabas, Madalag, and Makato got two (2) scholars each. Libacao, New Washington and Tangalan got one (1)  scholar each. /MP