If you ask progressive rice and corn farmers in Occidental Mindoro who taught them improved techniques of grains production, they will most likely point to Jose Paquibongan, an agriculturist who first worked in Mindanao but who has already settled for good in Sablayan, Occidental Mindoro.

After finishing the agriculture course at the Bohol State College of Agriculture and Fisheries in Bilar, Bohol, he first worked at a relative’s coffee farm in Mati, Davao Oriental, and then with the local government of Tagum, Davao del Norte. He was assigned as rice technician until 1987 in Tagum until he saw an excellent opening at the Ayala Agriculture Co. based in General Santos City which produced hybrid corn seeds.

Ayala assigned him as technical representative in Occidental Mindoro and that’s where he disseminated the modern techniques of corn production. One of the farmers who is very thankful for the technology he learned from Joe is Dakila E. Danseco of Sitio Pandan, Brgy. Claudio Salgado, Sablayan town.

Danseco’s father was a fisherman and Dakila only started farming in 1975 when he got married. But it was what may be called marginal farming for as late as 1989, he was farming only 2.8 hectares that he owned.

Then came Joe Paquibongan who brought with him the new seeds and the improved techniques of planting. Instead of planting three seeds per hill and spacing the hills about 70 centimeters in the row, Joe taught them to plant a single seed per hill at distances of about 8 cm apart. Now, Danseco has become a rich man because his production tremendously improved. Today, he is planting corn on 40 hectares that he owns. When it is rainy season, the farms (parcels are found in several places) are planted to rice.

Danseco has also diversified into onion production in a big way, producing Red Pinoy, Batanes Jumbo and the native variety (Tanduyong) on 2.5 hectares. Joe has helped many other farmers to become rich.

Now, he is busy teaching them how to use the bio-organic fertilizer called Durabloom which has consistent quality as it is produced with the use of special enzymes and beneficial microorganisms. He just started his campaign when he joined Novatech last September but already his demo farms are showing that indeed bio-organic fertilizer can tremendously increase production of various crops.

What’s great is that Joe himself practices in his own farm what he preaches.