DAVAO CITY — Despite limited space given the urban settings, a farmer was able to grow upland rice in a small space he have in Barangay Catalunan Grande this city.
“I did not expect the seeds to grow, I was adamant,” said Pastora Anecita Aking of the United Church of Christ of the Philippines (UCCP), while toured this writer to his upland rice farm.
This season marks his second harvest. He is the only member of El Grande Multi-purpose Cooperative here, who ventured on upland rice farming in an urban setting.
“The rice smells aromatic and the grits shines when milled,” he revealed.
Producing an organic upland rice was impossible for him but he tried with the seeds he bought from his hometown in Davao Oriental.
The pandemic and the high cost of living in an urban place, inspired him to explore and earn for a living.
In the middle of May, he expects to harvest at least ten sacks, that would mean about P20,000 additional income for his family.-Paul Palacio
