Former Jeddah-based OFW is now a successful livestock and poultry farmer

Published September 16, 2022, 10:00 AM

by Manila Bulletin Agriculture

By Antonio G. Papa, Ph.D.

Engr. Rany P. Constantino, a former Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW) who worked in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia for more than 33 years, is the owner and president of D’ Constantinos Farm Corporation.

It is an integrated and diversified farm located in Barangay Pantihan 2, Maragondon, Cavite. The farm is currently a Department of Agriculture–Agricultural Training Institute (DA-ATI) accredited learning site for agriculture in Region IV-A or the CALABARZON (Cavite-Laguna-Batangas-Rizal-Quezon) Region.

On February 24, 2022, the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) awarded the farm with Certificate of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Program Registration for Animal Production (Ruminants) National Certification II (NC II).

Free range chickens. (D’ Constantinos Farm Corporation)

The farm

The farm was established in 2018 with a specific aim of achieving great success in Philippine Agriculture and helping other OFWs to discover and appreciate the worthwhile simplicity of farming.

According to Engr. Rany, “our simple mission at the farm is to provide complete profitable services to farmers and OFWs for them to get involved in the process and to get an access to the readily available resources.

Engr. Rany envisioned that his farm would be the model of success and foundation of modern farming in the Philippines. “At D’ Costantinos Farm, we use cost-effective and efficient farming methods to reach our goal of providing affordable and wholesome livestock and produce. Consequently, promoting effective and sustainable financial resource alternatives for all repatriates, forming strong partnerships and a sense of community,” adds Engr. Rany.

Rabbit production. (D’ Constantinos Farm Corporation)

The farmer

Engr. Rany P. Costantino is a former OFW leader and advocate who was based in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. He was very active in the Filipino community in Saudi Arabia, where he assisted his fellow Filipinos. Now that he is permanently residing in the Philippines, Engr. Rany still strives to extend his helping hands to the Filipino community by providing sustainable livelihood, offering world-class yet affordable livestock farming, and sharing his extensive knowledge in basic and advanced farming.

He said, “Ipinangako ko ko sa aking sarili na ako’y babalik ng Pilipinas at babalikan ko and isang agrikultura na nagbibigay kabuhayan sa aking mga kababayan (I promised myself that I would return to the Philippines and return to agriculture, which offers livelihood to my fellow Filipinos).”

His existing and future efforts are designed to help his fellow kababayans (fellow Filipinos) while promoting his love for Philippine agriculture. He believes that there is fulfillment in the simplicity of farming.

Heritage chickens called Rhode Island Reds. (D’ Constantinos Farm Corporation)

Farm activities

D’ Constantinos Farm Corp. advocates for continuous farm development that is aligned with the government goal of ensuring food security nationwide.

The farm introduces new livestock programs such as heritage chicken, rabbit, goat, and other alternative feeds such as duckweed. It is selling goat meat for a less expensive price to the neighborhood.

The farm hires employees within the neighborhood to provide job opportunities to the locals. It is conducting a feeding program to the community, local stranded individuals (LSIs), and stranded OFWs.

The farm has been registered at TESDA to offer a program in Animal Production (Ruminants) NC II with a duration of 306 hours. The program covers the following units of competencies: the basic, common, and core competencies.

The basic competencies are as follows: 1) Participate in workplace communication, 2) Work in a team environment, 3) Practice career professionalism, and 4) Practice occupational health and safety measures.

The common competencies include 1) Apply safety measures in farm operations, 2) Perform estimates and calculations, and 3) Practice occupational health and safety procedures. The core competencies are 1) Maintain housing, farm implements, and surrounding areas, 2) Provide forage, 3) Perform breeding of ruminants, and 4) raise meat-type animals.

According to TESDA, the registered program of the farm as full qualification be offered as cluster of units of competency as contained therein.

Farm facilities

The farm has completed all the required modern facilities for ruminants such as modern goat breeding and production program including a well-structured and modern-designed goat houses, quarantine houses, animal clinic-hospital, and grazing areas for livestock.

Farm practices

At D’ Constantinos Farm, the use of cost-effective and efficient farming methods to provide affordable and wholesome livestock and livestock-products such as smoked and skinless longanisa, smoked sausage, and streaky bacon.

Consequently, the farm promotes effective and sustainable financial resource alternatives for all repatriates, thus forming a strong partnership and sense of community.

Business models

Profitable goat raising. The farm implement crossbreeding to improve the local native breed of goats. One key feature of this program is that it involves upgrading the livestock by mating “mestizas” or crossbred does to imported giant boer breeder bucks. Doing this will make the goat profitable when marketed.

Heritage free-range chicken. The farm raises heritage free-range chicken for meat and egg production.

Cattle production. Cattle are raised in confinement and in grazing areas for meat production.

Rabbit production. Rabbits are raised for high quality meat production including the Flemish Giant Rabbit from New Zealand.

As a Magsasaka Siyentista (Farmer Scientist) of the CALABARZON Region, Engr. Rany could be invited to assess the farm intended for livestock production. In his farm, there are stocks for sale as start-up animals for beginners in the farming industry.

Photos courtesy of D’ Constantinos Farm Corporation

https://mb.com.ph/2022/09/16/former-jeddah-based-ofw-is-now-a-successful-livestock-and-poultry-farmer/