“A farmer has to be a scientist. You have to do a lot of observing. You don’t just plant and plant.” This is the philosophy that farmer-turned-agripreneur Ruben Ragas lives by.
His farm in Cabadbaran City, Agusan del Norte is proof of his careful and meticulous planning”•backed by science and good sense.
All sections”•from the fish pond and livestock shed to the various vegetable plots”•of his farm are strategically laid out for specific reasons.
“It has to be,” says Ragas. “For example, since the wind from the sea blows from the west, if we put the livestock shed west of the house, the smell is going to go straight to our living room. Everything has to be thought out.”
Ragas attended seminars and technical courses related to farming to improve his knowledge and skills. His one-year stint with the Federation of Agrarian Reform Communities further taught him basic knowledge and skills on effective farming and efficient marketing strategies.
Equipped with farm resource and basic entrepreneurial experience, Ragas dared to further grow their family’s livelihood. Through a P15,000 loan from Landbank-assisted Baug CARP Beneficiaries Multi-Purpose Cooperative (BCBMPC) in Magallanes, Agusan del Norte, he was able to buy seedlings and farm inputs.
Over the next few years, he received a P50,000 loan from the coop which helped him purchase another half hectare of land. He has also since then diversified into raising tilapia and various livestock.
Before venturing into diversified and organic farming, his family’s income was so small. Ragas recalls how they used to live in a wood and nipa house with no concrete floor. His farm also used to be overrun with tall grass and the land was infertile.
Today, he sows a variety of vegetables, fruits, and root crops in his integrated farm. He also raises native chicken, turkey, goat, and cow; and he produces tilapia, dalag, and other native freshwater fish.
He remains methodical as he implements organic farming”•with the manure of his livestock and left-over vegetables allowed to naturally decompose for use as fertilizer; while the urine from his goats are used as plant-insect repellent and fungicide.
In 2018, hoping to further expand his farm, Ragas availed of a loan, this time directly from Landbank, under the Agricultural Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (ACEF). ACEF is a direct lending program that the state-run bank implements with the Department of Agriculture to help increase the productivity of farmers, fishermen, and their cooperatives and associations, as well as MSMEs, through credit assistance.
In February this year, he launched The Ragas Farm where visitors are allowed to pick their choice of fruits and vegetables and buy them at significantly cheaper prices than retail market price.
Aside from working capital for vegetable production, Landbank also provided Ragas with a term loan for the improvement of his farm which includes the building of a training hall and a drilled well for his farm irrigation.
Through methodical farming and financial support, The Ragas Farm is now a major producer of farm-fresh vegetables. It is also fast becoming a major agri-tourism site”•attracting visitors from different municipalities and serving as a venue for technology training for small farmers.
In addition to owning and operating a thriving farm, Ragas now serves as an educator and life coach conducting lessons and seminars for aspiring agri-entrepreneurs.