Hardworking farmer from Benguet builds Dream House from vegetable farming

Photo Courtesy || Agribusiness

Cordillera - While young people of this generation abandon farming and go to the city, get a college degree and work as an employee of a company, this engineer from Benguet chose the opposite. 

Joel Paquito, abandoned pursuing his career being a full time engineer after finishing his degree on electrical engineering and went back to farming instead. 

Paquito, now a full time vegetable farmer in his local town in Bugiuas, Benguet said in an interview with Agribusiness that his heart was in to farming. 

"May puso kasi ako sa farming. Yung namulatan kung trabaho ng magulang ko, lalo na yung tatay ko... Talagang yung puso ko bumalik sa farm," Paquito said.

Unlike from being an employee in a company where you have a boss, Joel said that in farming you are the boss and no one is pressuring and controlling you in whatever you want to do. 

He said that what he learned from his degree in electrical engineering, he can also apply them in his work being a farmer.

Asked about the common problem of farmers who suffer from bankruptcy due to pest and oversupply of vegetables in the market,  Joel admitted that he too suffered from not getting returns from his capital due to a disease that affected the soil.

However, Joel didn't easily give up otherwise, he will be the loser in the end. He gave an advice to his fellow farmers what to do when they  face challenges and are affected with problems.

"Bilang farmer, kailangan mo ring maintindihan na ang lugi ay hindi ibig sabihin na yun na ang huli. Pag ang nasa isip natin ay tapos na baka hindi mo na mabawi [ang puhunan mo]. 

Joel said that you have to plant again even if your first plant was unsuccessful. 

He also pointed out the importance of having some savings. 

"Kailangang mag-ipon ka. Kung may pera kailang hindi mo dapat iwaldas lahat, darating ang panahon na yung tanim mo rin malulugi, meron tayong back-up," Joel shared.

"Karamihan talaga sa mga  farmers pag may pera hindi iniisip ang kalugihan... Dapat sa mga farmers alam ang [pinagkaiba] ng 'needs at wants'... Alam natin ang kailangan natin sa farm at sa buhay, hindi lang puro 'wants'," he added.

Joel shared some tips to his fellow farmers in managing their finances when starting to farm. Since farming takes a  month or two for soil preparation up to harvest, he advised that farmers should have an emergency fund allocated for the two months that they don't have an income. They can also take some extra work to get income while waiting for the harvest.

Joel proved that you don't need to go abroad or get a job from the city to make a good life. Because of his good principle in farming, he was able to buy his own car and build his own house. 

Watch the whole interview of Joel below from Agribusiness