Joe F. Reaño is a crop research specialist who works on developing high-yielding Robusta coffee selections in the Philippines. During these times, he was also involved in programs promoting sustainable farming systems among local communities in the country. [READ: A retired crop specialist built an aquaponics system and floating garden as his retirement project](https://www.agriculture.com.ph/2023/03/16/a-retired-crop-specialist-built-an-aquaponics-system-and-floating-garden-as-his-retirement-project/) Quoting the famous Chinese proverb, “Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, and you feed him for a lifetime,” Reaño believes that farmers should not only be given outright solutions to problems but also be trained on how to come up with solutions themselves. During Reaño’s lectures and training sessions, he associates agricultural livelihood with a complete meal – isda, meat, rice, water, and gulay. These are acronyms that act as a guide in assessing the farmers’ livelihood projects.

ISDA (Idea, Study, Decision-making, Action)

Idea.

It all starts with an idea. You must visualize an idea of what kind of business you want to engage in. Formulate your vision and mission of the business. Collect ideas and visualize what you want to happen, if it is for immediate execution or for retirement.

Study.

When the idea is clearly conceptualized, the next thing to do is study. Study the

MEAT

(market, environment, advantages, and technology).
*

Market.

Know if a market is available for the product you want to produce. Not only the consumers should be studied but also the demand, supply, price, and system of marketing. *

Environment.

Check if the business you plan to engage in is good for the environment. In the principle of regenerative agriculture, it is important to take care of the soil and environment to maintain productivity in the long run. *

Advantages.

Find out the advantages of the crops/livestock you intend to grow or raise among other products in the market. *

Technology.

 You should determine if the available technologies in your industry are affordable and can be implemented in your area.

Decision-making.

In decision-making, you need

RICE

(resources, innovation, commitment).
*

Resources.

Assess if you have available resources– land, labor, capital, and skills. Identify the ideal resources you need, then list the actual resources you have. *

Innovation.

If you do not have the ideal resources, you must innovate. Look for alternatives to supplement the lacking resources. *

Commitment.

Ask yourself if you really want to do the business. Will you be passionate, happy, and willing to commit fully? The key to success is passion and commitment to your work. Avoid the “ningas kugon” attitude, where enthusiasm and effort are only shown in the beginning. *

Economically viable.

The business should result in an acceptable income. Think of ways to reduce the cost of production. For example, you do not need to buy fertilizers every time because you can make your own.

Action.

To execute the plans, you need to think of

WATER

(work plan, attainable, time-bound, efficient, and research).
*

Work plan.

Create a list of the set of actions you have to accomplish that should be attainable and time bound. *

Attainable.

Be realistic about your actions. Actions should be achievable. Consider all the resources you have and think about the factor that is beyond your control. *

Time-bound.

Specify when your goals should be completed. *

Efficiency.

Make the business efficient by looking for the options available to save time. For example, manual labor can be replaced with machines and automation. *

Research.

Continue to educate yourself\*\*.\*\* Always be informed about the current research and development of the products.

GULAY (Gabay ay sundin, ugali ay baguhin, lunas hanapin, aksaya’y iwasan, yaman makakamtan)

Reaño reminds us to follow these guidelines, change our negative mindset, seek solutions to each problem, and reduce waste to achieve success. These are guidelines he laid out for farmers to assess their own agricultural business, but he said that they could also be applied to any situation in life. [*Read more about farming and gardening at agriculture.com.ph*](https://www.agriculture.com.ph/)**