As the dry season, exacerbated by El Niño, sets in, locals are finding innovative ways to stay hydrated and enjoy themselves.
Barangay Sappaac has become a destination for those looking to support farmers while indulging in a unique activity.
“The experience was unique and satisfying. It was delightful to join the youth in eating watermelons, but first, we had to deseed them,” shared former Peñarrubia mayor Antonio Domesag, reflecting on his visit.
Farm visitors relish the watermelons but must first extract the seeds, which are then sold by the farmers to the Bulacan-based East West Seeds Philippines.
Since 2012, the Abra Vegetable Seed Cooperative (Avseco) in Barangay Sappaac, in collaboration with East West Seeds, focuses on cultivating watermelons primarily for their seeds.
Eddie Pascual, an early member of this initiative, utilizes his land to grow watermelons for seed production, emphasizing the community’s welcome to visitors during harvest for a taste, provided they contribute by leaving the seeds.
Pascual proudly shared the success of their partnership with East West Seeds, which significantly improved his livelihood, allowing him to purchase a tricycle and build a house from the proceeds of selling watermelon seeds.
He highlighted the cooperative model’s benefits, offering a more manageable and communal approach to meeting the seed company’s demands, contrasting with the challenges of selling watermelons directly.
The watermelon cultivation aligns with the seasonal water availability, following rice harvests during the wetter months and capitalizing on the crop’s lower water needs during the drier periods.
The local government supports these farming initiatives with technical and post-harvest assistance, recognizing watermelons as high-value crops.
Amid changing agricultural practices, with tobacco farmers considering a shift to watermelon cultivation due to its lower costs, the community is inspired by the deseeding engagement, pondering the possibility of a watermelon festival, pending approval from the seed company.