By: Riza Charity June D. Rafols

New Lucena, Iloilo — A groundbreaking participatory research initiative is setting the stage for New Lucena to emerge as a model municipality for natural farming in the region. Spearheaded by Dr. Ricky P. Becodo, Director of the University Extension and Development Center and faculty member of the Development Communication Division of West Visayas State University (WVSU), the project brings together farmers, local government officials, and academic partners in a shared effort to promote sustainable agriculture.

The collaboration brought together farmers, local government officials, and academic institutions, notably the College of Communication of WVSU. Faculty researchers, along with BSDevcom and MDevcom students, played a central role in facilitating community engagement and documentation. The College’s involvement ensured that communication strategies were grounded in participatory development principles and responsive to local realities.

Key government participants included Hon. Jocelyn P. Espia, Chairperson of the Sangguniang Bayan Committee on Agriculture and Cooperatives, and Genalyn Fernandez, focal person for organic farming from the Municipal Agriculture Office. Farmer leaders also played a vital role, with Mr. Isabelo Luscares, Chairperson of the Organic Farmers and Producers Association of New Lucena (OFPANELU), and national awardee in natural farming, leading the grassroots efforts. Mr. Rodrigo Dominguez, another award-winning farmer, shared his recent success—harvesting 280 sacks of naturally grown rice from just 1.5 hectares—as a testament to the viability of natural farming.

The partnership began when Mr. Luscares and Mr. Dominguez approached Dr. Becodo to seek support from WVSU. Their shared vision has since evolved into a proposed program, currently in development, that aims to promote natural farming across New Lucena starting in 2026.

The research employed a range of participatory methods, including household surveys, focus group discussions, key informant interviews, workshops, and policy reviews. These efforts culminated in five policy briefs that outline strategic recommendations for the municipality:

Policy Brief Highlights

PB1: Demo Farms. Advocates for barangay-level demonstration farms to enable hands-on learning. These farms should be integrated into local government plans and receive dedicated funding.

PB2: Strengthening Systems. calls for the operationalization of existing ordinances with real budgets, the institutionalization of a Municipal Technical Committee on Agroecology, and support for farmer-to-farmer mentoring.

PB3: Institutional Support. Recommends embedding natural farming into the Annual Investment Plan and Municipal Agriculture Development Plan, establishing a monitoring framework, and enhancing LGU staff capacity.

PB4: Gender and Youth Inclusion. Highlights the need for greater representation of women and youth in decision-making. Proposes the designation of focal persons, targeted training, and partnerships with schools and youth organizations.

PB5: Multi-Sectoral Collaboration. Emphasizes the importance of co-designing future initiatives through formalized partnerships, joint extension plans, shared training calendars, and data-sharing systems.

This participatory research activity held last August 27, 2025 marks a significant step toward institutionalizing natural farming in New Lucena. With strong leadership, inclusive planning, and multi-sectoral collaboration, the municipality is poised to become a national exemplar of sustainable agriculture rooted in community empowerment.