A Journey of Discovery and Redemption
"I am very inspired and in love," said the twenty-eight-year-old coconut farmer from Pay-
as, Kadingilan, Bukidnon as he embarked on his fruitful journey in the agriculture industry.
Val Niñ o Batistil was raised by a hardworking farmer and a teacher. He grew up enjoying
life without worries, swimming along the waves of existence. Val Niñ o, a free spirit, found
himself drawn into vices like illegal drugs, alcoholism and gambling. Life seemed easy,
taking him nine years to complete his degree in Administrative Management with a major
in Banking and Finance.
After graduating, he landed a job at a local bank in 2019. However, when the pandemic
wreaked havoc worldwide, the office took precautionary measures, resulting in skeletal
working hours. Bored with his job, Val Niñ o decided to quit and planning to pursue work
abroad as a dairy cattle farmer. While at home, his father saw an opportunity to involve
him in managing their coconut and livestock farm.
With little choice, Val Nino reluctantly began helping his father. Over time, he started
seeing potential in farming and developed an appreciation for the industry. Initially
considering farming a waste of time, his perspective shifted when his father attended a
Training of Trainers on Good Agricultural Practices for Coconuts and applied for an
Agriculture Learning Site Certification.
Upon approval of the certification, Val Niñ o took over the management of the farm. Making
decisions was challenging as he was still learning, but attending coconut-related training
session opened his eyes to agricultural opportunities especially in the coconut industry. A
significant realization dawned during a Training of Trainers on Coconut Hybridization,
leading him to regret his past distractions.
Currently, Val enjoys documenting his learnings from various training through vlogging. He
has minimized his vices and no longer spends time idly with friends, instead inviting them
to the farm and discussing potential business opportunities in agriculture. His plans include
expanding the farm and eventually establishing a farm school to educate young people and
fellow coconut farmers. He firmly believes that adopting new farming techniques will
enhance yield and uplift the lives of coconut farmers.
"The pandemic was a blessing in disguise," reflects Val. He never anticipated swapping his
corporate boots for farming boots, nor did he imagine finding peace and purpose in an
industry he once thought had no future. Guided by the field of tree of life, Val discovered a
better version of himself, hoping to inspire other lost souls to strive for a brighter future.
