WMSU-ATBI set off on a two-day trip to visit and monitor several farms across Zamboanga City. The team’s goal was simple: to check how these farmers were doing, understand their needs, and see if they could be part of ATBI’s incubation program, which offers training and support to help them grow their businesses.

The team’s first visit was on September 25, 2024 in Malagutay, where they met Jelly P. Piala at KM5 and Christian Gumano of Campo Vida. Both farmers were excited to talk about their plans to grow more vegetables and learn how to cultivate oyster mushrooms. The farmers saw this as a way to expand their businesses and improve their income. The ATBI’s tech. expert walked through their farms, which were already well-organized, and discussed the next steps they’d need to take, especially in terms of getting proper training to diversify their crops.

Next, WMSU-ATBI headed to Tulungatung to visit Gemma T. Bahani from ATIWA. She owns a large plot of land and wants to start a chicken farm. However, she’s still in the early stages and hasn’t built a chicken house yet. Ms. Emilyn Varona, program technical specialist and Ms. Angela Jalon, Zampen tech. expert talked about different designs and what she’d need to get started. Gemma was eager to learn more about poultry farming and was looking forward to getting advice on managing her farm efficiently once she’s up and running.

The team’s last stop of the day was in Labuan, where they met Shaick Ismurajid and his wife, who have been growing oyster mushrooms for two years. They’ve done well so far but want to improve their production. Shaick was particularly interested in learning how to get better yields and scale up his operation. Ms. Varona talked about what kind of training could help him streamline his processes and how he could reach larger markets. By the end of the visit, the team had a good understanding of the kind of support he needed to take his mushroom farming to the next level.

On September 26, 2024, WMSU-ATBI started with a visit to Abdul Aziz in Talon-Talon. His farm had a lot of potential, with leveled land perfect for growing natural vegetables. Abdul is just starting out and was excited about the idea of turning his land into a productive vegetable farm. He wanted help with planning and learning more about sustainable farming practices. Mr. Antao, Project Technical Assistant, Ms. Villamor, TBIU staff, and Mrs. Nerissa Garan talked about ways to make the most of his land while keeping things environmentally friendly.

WMSU-ATBI’s final stop was at Frandy Delos Santos’s farm in Buenavista. Frandy’s farm was massive—47 hectares—and is already raising chicken and goat. Now, he’s looking to branch out into Halal-Goat farming. While he knows a lot about raising chickens and goats, but he’s asking for both technical and business advice. Ms. Varona spent time talking about how he could manage goats effectively and tap into markets for goat products. With the size of his farm and his ambition, Frandy has a lot of room to grow, and we’re excited to see how we can help him expand.

The two days of visits gave the team a clear picture of where these farmers are and how they can support them. Each one has their own unique challenges, whether it’s learning new skills, building infrastructure, or fine-tuning their business strategies.