Mindanaotoday.com | Nextgen farmer Glenn Soledad is a proud rice farmer protégé
By: Vic Thor Palarca
AT 35, Glenn O. Soledad is no stranger to hard work and the farming life.
As a product of the school of hard knocks, she has helped established their family farm in San Fernando, Bukidnon, with high value crops and commodities like corn, cacao, adlai, banana, coconut, and other plants like oregano, mints, blue ternate, and citronella.
Although affected by the onslaught of the pandemic, Glenn was unfazed and did not waver in tending to her farm despite the tight resources, uncertain times, and an aging father.
It was during the pandemic that she strived more in developing her value-added products since she took advantage of the moments where she stayed in their farm longer.
Her long-distance relationship with a British citizen has probably generated buzz among her neighbors as her ticket to immigrate and settle abroad, but Glenn stayed and chose to work on her thriving farm and agribusiness.
My interview with Glenn during this year’s National Rice Awareness Month (NRAM) and via Facebook messenger revealed this singular and sassy lady’s determination to succeed in farming, and prove people from all walks of life that farming is a viable source of income:
Can you share your early experiences when you got involved in farming?
It was sir Nicasio Engallado who was my biggest influence to join trainings about farming, organic farming, as well as cooking innovation.
The great learning experience prompted me to shift course from Bachelor of Science in Information Technology to Bachelor of Science in Entrepreneurship way back in 2016.
When I came back from Manila to visit Bukidnon, I paid a visit to Engallado’s Farm and the farm was an eye opener for me that I decided to stay and help around in whatever way I can.
I became their boarder/tenant but they did not let me pay rent. So in return, I help them with their house chores.
It was because of the Engallado family that I understood the importance of natural farming, organic farming, and for caring the environment. I realized early on that I am proud to be a farmer, because farmers not only just feed their family, but also their community and the entire country.
When did you start processing your farm produce?
It was during my participation with the Kapatid Mentor Me Program that gave me the confidence more to focus and develop my products.
Value-adding also helped me gain more income since some of my best-sellers include organic tableya, cornblend with blue ternate tea, suman moron with tableya, choco yema with tableya and the newly developed adlai as alternative to rice. My bestseller is the tableya.
In a month’s time, I can earn up to 10 thousand pesos or more including other favorite food items by our customers.
Do you have a physical store where you display your products?
I have a physical store named La Soledad Café which carries Soledad Food Products. I also have consigned items available at Robinson’s Valencia and at the OTOP Hub Pasalubong Center which is also in Valencia.
What valuable life lessons have you learn from your chosen career?
I learned and realized the huge responsibility a farmer has for the country’s robust economy and food security.
Without farmers, many will suffer from starvation and would eventually die. I also learned to be open-minded and embrace new skills, learnings, and practical knowledge; to not limit myself about new farming techniques as long as it won’t damage the nature or harm Mother Earth.
What is the hardest part of running a farm?
For me, personally, it is a constant battle between money and principle. There is certainly a big profit in traditional farming, but it the long run, it is damaging to our environment.
Another challenge is to change the mindset of my farmer colleagues and their hesitation to try new things.
As an agripreneur, it is always a struggle to start a business, build a name, and penetrate the existing market with so many products out there and still earn a living from it despite fierce competition.
I am tempted from time to time to call it quits and take a job elsewhere. I even question myself once if this is all worth it but eventually I found my calling and farming is where my heart is.
How do you keep afloat and find ways to stay in business?
With all of the struggle, I always ask God for guidance because He knows what’s good for me and what my heart desires.
Aside from my faith, I come up with practical and logical solutions like I have to innovate and come up with other initiatives to market and sell my products. I would focus on product quality to make my products stand out. Whenever I join trainings, I make time to research and explore other possibilities to help me grow my business.
You mentioned about trainings, what particular learning or invaluable idea that stuck and helped you a lot?
The trainings of the Agricultural Training Institute (ATI) played a big role in my farming journey since they taught me to try new farming technologies.
It greatly improved my perception about myself as a farmer after all the mind setting and mentoring.
It certainly boosted my morale and encouraged me even further to learn more. It is because of ATI that I felt the concern and care of the government to our farmers.
I felt the presence and intervention of the government to care for our farmers through ATI.
How do you change the mindset of today’s younger generation about farming?
I give them honest advice. I tell them that agriculture is a viable career path and that there is money in farming through agribusiness.
I always tell the younger generation that there are countless initiatives and programs of the government through offices like the Department of Agriculture (DA), ATI, DTI, TESDA, DOST, and others. All interventions they can use to further their knowledge about agriculture and agribusiness.
It is just a matter of finding those learning opportunities and then later on start a career and forge ahead.
For me, ang pagiging magsasaka, hindi dapat ikinakahiya, dapat proud tayo dahil tayo ang gumagawa ng pagkain para sa bansa. Glenn concluded in Tagalog. (MT)
(As a civil servant, Vic Thor Palarca works for the Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Training Institute (DA-ATI) in Northern Mindanao as their media production specialist. A content creator for print and online, he regularly contributes farmer’s success story and food-related articles in this publication.)
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