Organic Farming Technology: A Unique Response to Poverty Alleviation in the Visayas and Mindanao

Ms. Daisy Duran of Duran Farm, San Ildefonso, Bulacan

Social Entrepreneurship is one untapped giant of a topic that Development Communication practitioners must seriously look into. A country like ours, which continues to struggle against poverty, needs a well-designed plan of action to make our people, specifically those in agricultural farming, to work on becoming creators of wealth more than just being recipients of it.

The government, through the Department of Agriculture, has had several attempts in the past to empower our Filipino farmers to become entrepreneurs --- and to become successful ones at that. We must take pride in discovering that among us, there are outstanding individuals who have weathered a lot of storms so they can rise above the difficulties that go with innovation and action along the lines of creating wealth, i.e. putting up a business and helping their neighbors get employment, earn their keep, and support their families.

Social entrepreneurs are individuals with innovative solutions to society's most pressing social problems. They are ambitious and persistent, willing to tackle major social issues and offer new ideas for wide-scale change.

Two organic farms in the country quietly but effectively strive to promote resilience among farmers who eke out a living from organic farming. One is found in San Ildefonso, Bulacan, initiated by Ms. Daisy Duran, and the other one is found in Bacolod City, Negros Occidental, put up by Mr. Ramon Uy, Sr.

Mr. Ramon Uy, Sr. with Ms. Chit Juan
Photo credits: www.manilaspeak.com : Turning Waste Into Money

I hope to soon come up with a study that will compose and present a descriptive narrative that looks into the successful stories of the above-mentioned Filipino role models of entrepreneurship which have evolved into "social entrepreneurship." Both social entrepreneurship role models have made a big social impact, indeed a big difference, i.e. economically and culturally, in their respective communities. The study I plan to pursue will also attempt to deliver at least three (3) concrete ways by which Development Communication Educators and Practitioners in the country can systematically work on to lead, encourage and spread the inspiring word about the power of social entrepreneurship in the respective provinces they happen to be.