In the farming community of Mabuhay, Zamboanga Sibugay, where hard work and unity have long sustained rural life, the members of the Israel Farmers Association (FA) know all too well the literal and figurative weight of tilling the land.
Before every planting season, men and women alike would gather at dawn in their communal field. Armed with hoes, bolos, and a shared sense of purpose, they took turns preparing the soil for their one-hectare vegetable garden. Their only mechanized support came in the form of a rented carabao—costing Php 700 per day—which they hired for nearly a week just to complete the land preparation.
“Ing-ani jud mi permi, ang mga miyembro magtapok diri sa communal, mang-lampas, ug mangbungkal ayha namo masugdan og tanom. Kapoy gyud siya ug gasto pero kinahanglan man namo buhaton, so himoon gyud namo,” shared Milissa Acabal, President of Israel FA.
(This is how we always do it—the members gather here in the communal area to clear and till the land before we can start planting. It’s truly tiring and costly, but we have to do it, so we really push through.)
Israel FA is a beneficiary of the Department of Agriculture – Special Area for Agricultural Development (DA-SAAD) Program Phase 2 in Zamboanga Peninsula. In 2023, they initially received a goat production project, followed by vegetable production support in the succeeding year.
On July 9–10, 2025, the association, together with Kilusang Pagbabago Lumbal Farmers Association from Vincenzo Sagun, Zamboanga del Sur, received hand tractors (multicultivators) worth Php 138,000 each under this year’s vegetable production project. According to Ms. Acabal, this has significantly transformed their farming operations.
“Dako gyud kayo siya og tabang kay mas mapa-sayon ug mas mapa-dali ang pag-andam sa luna nga amoang tamnan,” she expressed. (It’s a really big help because it makes land preparation easier and faster for us.)
The hand tractor (multicultivator) is a cost-effective, time-saving, and efficient tool designed to empower smallholder farmers. By reducing reliance on manual labor, it boosts productivity and eases the physical burden of land preparation. Its simplicity and versatility make it ideal for farmers working on small plots, serving as a bridge from traditional methods to modern mechanized farming.
Israel FA wasted no time putting their new equipment to use. During the second week of July, they used it to prepare their communal land for planting bell peppers—following their successful planting of assorted vegetables including bitter gourd, string beans, sweet corn, eggplant, and squash from June 4–10.
While waiting for their next harvest, the members also shared the equipment, paying Php 300 per use in their individual gardens. The money collected is intended for the maintenance of the equipment, and funds for the association. ###
