Soybeans Find A Home In Former Battleground

Two years after I started on a challenging advocacy to promote Soybeans farming in Central Mindanao, I may have finally discovered the best place to grow this heavily imported commodity needed for poultry, livestock and aquaculture feeds.
I have been all over Central Mindanao establishing Demo and Trial Farms – from Polomolok, South Cotabato, to Mlang, Kidapawan and Alamada, North Cotabato.
While Soybeans thrived in those areas, the growth and yield were not at a level where farmers would make a decent return on investments.
Of all places, I saw hope for a vibrant Soybeans Industry in Barangay Benolen, Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao del Norte.
The village is a former battle ground and a Moro rebel stronghold called Camp Ibrahim Sema, about 50 kilometers away from the scene of the infamous SAF 44 Massacre, Mamasapano.
It was former Congresswoman Bai Sandra Sema and her husband, Muslimen Sema, former rebel, former Mayor of Cotabato City and now Labor Minister of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Government, who guided me to Benolen, Ancestral Home of Datu Odin Sinsuat and his descendants.
In a 2-hectare area, a Demo Farm for Sorghum and Soybeans was established last July with the help of former rebels themselves.
Both Sorghum and Soybeans are growing exceptionally well in the area, with the Soybeans performing beyond my expectations.
In fact, when I checked the Soybeans last Monday, I had to admit that I had never seen such robust growth and prolific flowering 48 days after these were planted.
It will take another 50 days before we will finally be able to determine the yield but this early, I believe I have found the most ideal place to grow Soybeans and Sorghum.
What makes this development even more interesting is the fact that there are more places with soil type like that of Datu Odin in the periphery of the Liguasan Marsh.
These areas could become the Soybeans Belt of the Philippines.

#GodWorksInMysteriousWays!
(Video by Arnold Vido, Braveheart Farms.)