The gospel of a successful hybrid rice farmer

By Rose de la Cruz

Danilo Arcales Bolos is one farmer who has made a record in the country not just for his fete in producing 17 metric tons per hectare (even recently hitting 19 mt/hectare) for hybrid rice which he gladly shared with colleagues but also for having successfully raised his children until they finish their professions.

On the average, he harvests 15 to 17 tons per hectare during the dry season crop and 7.5 to 10 tons per hectare during the wet season crop. The national average is 6 tons per hectare.

Two of his daughters have passed the bar–  the eldest Debbie Gaile Jacinto Bolos passed in  2021 and Dana Gia Jacinto Bolos in 2023 and they are now both properly addressed as Atty. Bolos. He only has two children.

His wife, Glenda S. Jacinto, graduated business administration master in accountancy at the University of the East in Manila. He finished electrical engineering at FEATI University.

His youngest daughter, Dana took community development at UP Diliman finishing Magna cum Laude and his eldest Debbie Gaile J. Bolos finished business administration masters in marketing at UP Diliman also Magna cum Laude. They both took their law from Wesleyan University in Nueva Ecija.

Unlike other farmers, he and his wife invested on the farm coming from his savings as an overseas Filipino worker. It all began in 1989 when a piece of land was pawned to him and with nary a knowledge about farming, he asked for instructions from old farmers. Then, the farm grew from the earnings of his crop. But he continued his OFW work as assistant chief maintenance, electrical at the Ministry of Defense and Aviation in Saudi Arabia until such time he was able to buy 3 hectares and that is when he became a full-time farmer. 

He combines science-based technologies for his hybrid rice farm in Nueva Ecija and  uses  chemical-based fertilizer with his amino acid concoction (of fresh and live fish to be mixed/cured with molasses).

He also uses the now popular AWD (alternating wet and dry) technique in watering so as not to drown his crop with too much water but making sure that the plant would retain its moisture even after initial fertilization with chemicals and religiously spraying the amino acid on the soil. The soil develops fungus which prevent insects and grasses from growing and destroying his palay.

His best farm practices were featured in the recently-concluded Ugnay Palay: 35th National Rice R4D (Research for Development) Conference held at the Philippine Rice Research Institute on November 29 to December 1. 

He said he was picked to address the Ugnay Palay because of his frequent training sessions with farmers from other parts of the country and through testimonial speeches he makes.

He and former Agriculture Secretary Manny Pinol are now compiling a book on palay farming and how to maximize yields and incomes combining scientific and modern technologies with acceptable traditional farm practices to help the country’s farmers reap better from their livelihood. 

Curiously, he also posted on his FB page (from someone’s post)  the following 17 laws of farming: 

1. Never target peak seasons, peak seasons come with their own challenges. Be a farmer not a gambler.

2. Choose at least two main crops and a rotational crop plan. Jumping from one crop to another is not right on your pocket.

3. Plan your farm and always have the crops at different age stages, to ensure constant supply.

4. No crop  is not profitable, just master the pros and cons of a particular crop.

5. Having a lot of many is not a license to successful farming.

6. Have a spray and fertilizer plan and stick to it.

7. Never take advice from agrovets and agrochemical sales agents. Most of them are sales persons and not agronomists.

8.Try as much as possible to cut down on farm expenditure without compromising on produce quality.

9. Never hold back on a product, if it’s a quick perishable product. Sell it at the prevailing prices.

10. Never plant a new seed on a large scale before doing trials unless you have seen it somewhere.

11. Never entrust your million dollar idea to a farmhand, make sure to be present at the critical stages of crop development until marketing.

12. Never employ a close family member to manage your farm, most of them will fail you.

13. If you are neighboring farmers, plant the same crop.

14. Never apply any farming information you get online, without consulting your agronomist.

15. Always have a farm plan.

16. Old is always good. Most of the old seed varieties and chemicals will never disappoint you.

17. Passion in farming is key and will take you far.