Rolando “Lando” Pega never looked at farming seriously until his brother-in-law asked for his help in the field in 2014. The former all-around helper used to work odd jobs as a grocery store assistant and jeepney conductor to make ends meet.

After venturing into farming, Lando came to terms with the hard realities on the ground. Prices were often volatile and farmers received the short end of the stick by selling their harvest to middlemen who took the bulk of the profit.

An opportunity came when microfinance institution Ahon sa Hirap, Inc. (ASHI) tapped Lando and a dozen other farmers to sell spring onions directly to Chowking under the Jollibee Group Foundation’s Farmer Entrepreneurship Program (FEP). ASHI provided loans and training in key aspects of entrepreneurship, including values formation and financial literacy.

“Since I became an FEP member, through the help of ASHI, we were able to have our own market where prices are stable and our earning is good,” he said in Tagalog.

Today, Lando earns a steady stream of income delivering spring onions to the Jollibee Group and other restaurants. He also plans to buy a patch of land to increase his harvest and earnings potential.

Armed with lessons from ASHI and FEP, Lando is paying it forward by being a leader of AGAP Farmers Association of Pangil Laguna, where he mobilizes fellow farmers. In recognition of his work, Lando received the Special Award for Agri Micro-Business at the 2019 Citi Microentrepreneurship Awards.

But the work is just beginning for Lando. “I want to encourage more farmers to join us so they can also learn how to earn more by selling to big buyers,” he concluded.