Specials NEWS

To be happy, to be healthy, and to leave a legacy – these are the rationale of Miguel ‘Mike’ Pedroso, proprietor of Mike Pedroso Farms, behind his involvement in agriculture.

Agroecology is a sustainable farming approach that refers to the use of natural resources without damaging them. During the MIMAROPA leg of AgriTalk 2020, Jonjon Sarmiento, proprietor of Kuatro Marias’ AgroEcology Farm, discussed agroecology farming and used his farm as an example.

In two special episodes of AgriTalk 2020, Amy Eguia and Susie Marasigan, both from the Agricultural Training Institute - International Training Center on Pig Husbandry (ATI-ITCPH), demonstrated four different ways to process pork meat. The actual demonstration was aired via the Facebook pages of Agriculture Online and Agricultural Training Institute (ATI) during the AgriTalk 2020.

In two special episodes of AgriTalk 2020, Amy Eguia and Susie Marasigan, both from the Agricultural Training Institute - International Training Center on Pig Husbandry (ATI-ITCPH), demonstrated four different ways to process pork meat.

Raw honey is a good source of nutrients that our body needs. Proper production of this commodity can be important, not just to the livelihood of the communities that harvest them, but also in the conservation of the forests they are sourced from.

Herbs are popular for their culinary and medicinal uses. Because of their high market demand, herbs may also provide profitable business opportunities.

Marketing is a crucial element that serves as the backbone of your success when it comes to selling farm products and services. Regardless of how big or small your operations are, you have the ability to find consistent clients to help your business grow.

Businesses in the food and hospitality industry are big players in waste generation. As more and more consumers seek environmentally-friendly products, services, and practices, more people also welcome the idea of composting food wastes. 

Despite the pandemic, Slow Food International, a global organization that promotes local food cultures and heritage, pushes their 13th Terra Madre Salone del Gusto, their largest worldwide festival on food, environment, and food policies.

Many forests have been converted to agricultural lands to meet the growing demand for food caused by the escalating human population. The unsustainable use of natural resources in agriculture has been a major contributor to biodiversity loss that threatens not only human lives, but also the animals' existence that is essential for food production.

Adding value to agricultural products is a practical way to prolong their shelf lives and to reduce agricultural losses. In an episode of the AgriTalk 2020, Gloria Morris, an ATI-LSA coordinator and owner of MOCA Family Farm tackled different ways to process and preserve fruit and vegetables that everybody can practice.

Johnny Sniper, 39, a radio and TV personality in Cebu City, has been farming since college. Farming for Sniper is a passion that he learned through experience, consolidated ideas, and research.

Shirley Villamor, an enterprise resource planning (ERP) software consultant, started gardening with a limited understanding of the practice. In hopes of pursuing a hobby that’s different from the nature of her work, she ended up developing a garden to benefit her mental health. “Gardening is my stress reliever. It helps me focus and gives me a sense of peace and serenity.”

Many gardeners turn their homes into a green space with the intention to make their pads cozy in the most natural way. For businessman Ramon Isla, 33, a dream to live in a place that mimics nature and its calmness was the main reason he began cultivating plants, including his giant golden pothos (Epipremnum aureum).

Love and passion are the two things that spurred Ramona M. Pastor, owner of HN Organic Farm, to fully devote her time to farming after working in various fields abroad for over 10 years. 

Teresita C. Palaganas, 56, is a former accountant who resigned to manage their family business in the motorcycle parts industry. After leaving her job and embarking on a new journey, she also found herself rekindling a long-lost interest in gardening. Palaganas is the woman behind the 307 Garden in Meycauayan, Bulacan. Read more about 307 garden here. 

Small space didn’t hinder Imelda De Jesus, an urban gardener from Caloocan City, from pursuing her love for plants. What sets her garden apart from others is that she grows not only the herbs and veggies that we commonly see in home gardens, but also fruit-bearing trees that she mostly grafted and planted in containers. 

“They are ours. They are our heritage. They are our treasure. They are the crowning glory of the Philippine forest.” This is what David Castor, curator and manager of Negros Forest Park, said on the importance of preserving the Philippine native trees during the third episode of the Slow Food Negros Community Food Talks series.