The Department of Agriculture-CAR declared the winners of this year’s Agriculture Gawad Saka search for outstanding achievers in agriculture and fisheries through its Regional Executive Committee on April 21, 2017 held at the DA-CAR Conference Hall, Guisad, Baguio City.
Out of the 40 entries who submitted for the 16 categories of the regional Gawad Saka, 15 from the different provinces were declared winners in their respective categories. Five winners, one each from the provinces of Kalinga and Benguet, 3 from Ifugao and 1 each from Apayao and Abra.
The regional institutional category winners are Jose Sacley Family, Outstanding Farm Family from Cattubo, Atok, Benguet; Calaocan Farmers Association in Rizal, Kalinga, Outstanding Small Farmer; Aguinaldo 4-H Club in Aguinaldo, Ifugao, Outstanding Young Farmers Organization; Bantay Rural Improvement Club (RIC) in Tabuk, Kalinga, Outstanding Rural Improvement Club; Ifugao Provincial Agriculture and Fishery Council (PAFC) in Ifugao, Outstanding PAFC; Bakun Municipal Agriculture and Fishery Council (MAFC) in Bakun, Benguet, Outstanding MAFC, Tinongdan Barangay Food Terminal (BFT) in Tinongdan, Itogon Benguet, Outstanding LGU-Managed Barangay Food Terminal (BFT) and Hungduan Employees Multi-Purpose Cooperative BFT in Hungduan, Ifugao, Outstanding Non-LGU-Managed Barangay Food Terminal (BFT)
This year’s regional Gawad Saka winners for the individual category were Honorio Clemencia, Outstanding Rice Farmer Adopting Integrated Rice-Based Farming System from Tabuk City, Kalinga; Rafael Ayala, Outstanding Corn Farmer from Sta. Marcela, Apayao; Rebecca Faustino, Outstanding High Value Crops Farmer from Tublay, Benguet; Romeo Kimbungan, Outstanding Organic Agriculture Farmer from Tuba, Benguet; Grace Agtina, Outstanding Agricultural Entrepreneur from Tabuk, Kalinga; Jonard Manzano, Outstanding Young Farmer from Tabuk City and Lorma Azurin, Outstanding Sugarcane Farmer from Bangued, Abra.
The Regional Executive Committee headed by Balbina Ernesto, RAFC-CAR chairperson and Dr. Lorenzo Cargauian, DA-CAR director together with the Regional Executive Committee headed by Dr. Danilo Daguio and Dr. Cameron Odsey, Regional Technical Director for Operations and Regional Technical Director for Research and Regulatory, respectively, spearhead the screening and validation for this years search.
Winners of the Regional Gawad Saka were automatically nominated to represent the Cordillera Region to the National Gawad Saka Search 2017.
The Gawad Saka is the most prestigious award given by the Department of Agriculture for outstanding individuals, farmers and fisher folks, as well as rural-based organizations, for their exemplary contributions to the advancement of the agriculture and fishery sectors.**Rebecca Dibdiben
