In La Union, Women Make Agri Grow Robust

The province of La Union continues to leverage on agriculture in fostering a thriving local economy, and women remain a strong force in this field. Governor Raphaelle Veronica “Rafy” Ortega-David, the first female governor of La Union, said the province harnesses the strength of women in ensuring that the agricultural sector remains robust.

“Women are not only farmers themselves, but they are also leaders in farming communities whose roles are marked with compassion, empathy and unconditional love,” said Ortega-David. Provincial Agriculturist Sharon Viloria – also a woman – said there are 39 women associations in the province, majority of which are in the agricultural sector.

“While some of these women are wives of farmers, the others are heads of households who juggle their roles for the family, and at the same for their community in their collective aspirations for growth,” said Viloria. One such is the Apayao Women Association in Brgy. Apayao in the upland town of San Gabriel.

“Our association is deeply rooted in farming – cultivating rice, highland vegetables, and bananas, and tiger grass,” said Nelly Ducusin, the association head.

Founded in 2002, the women group is now 123-strong, whose members have been trailblazing community development. “We also produce turmeric tea and dishwashing liquid which we sell for additional income,” Ducusin added. In the town of Caba, another women group plays a crucial role in community empowerment.

“We are a group of mothers who work hard and find creative ways to uplift the quality of lives of our families,” said Evelyn Banan, president of the Sapsapang Women’s Association in Brgy. San Jose.

Established in 1993, the group is beneficiary to various livelihood grants and capacity-building initiatives of both local and national governments, and they are serious about making their businesses grow. And grow they did. “One of our projects is swine fattening, and the pigs indeed grew big,” said Banan in jest.

The 75 women-members work together to ensure the sustainability of their group. Aside from selling pork from the hogs they raise, the group also lends loans, contributing to the growth of the micro-economy of the barangay.

At the provincial level, meanwhile, these women groups actively engage with the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPAG) for training and continuous capability enhancement support.

“They are also our regular traders in our monthly Kadiwa ng Pangulo program, which has been instrumental for these community-based groups to bring their produces to the broader market,” said Viloria.

“These groups are a testament that women have power, and they do not only continue to break glass ceilings, but also tenderly plant the seeds for a sustainable future,” said Gov. Ortega-David. “They are key as we harvest our gains in making La Union the heart of Agri-Tourism in Northern Luzon,” she added.