From Angry Wife to Happy Farmer The story of Jennifer Mamon with the AMIA program

Jennifer Mamon, a 36-year-old housewife from Ilongbukid, San Rafael, Iloilo, used to be an angry wife. With the weight of financial struggles and the pain of seeing her children suffer, Jennifer often found herself lashing out at her family. Her story, however, is one of resilience, love, and the extraordinary power of transformation brought by farming and the Adaptation and Mitigation Initiative in Agriculture (AMIA) program. 

Jennifer and her husband, who began farming at 16, were rice farmers. Their earnings barely covered daily expenses, leaving no room for emergencies. When their children fell sick one after another, the family’s small savings were wiped out, and Jennifer’s frustrations grew. Her pain reached its peak when she lost one of her five children, leaving her with three boys and one girl to raise and educate.  

Desperate to provide more for her family, Jennifer looked back to her childhood. She remembered her mother teaching her how to grow ampalaya (bitter gourd) and how its harvest once gave her daily allowance. Inspired by these memories, Jennifer decided to build a vegetable garden. She also ventured into raising native chickens and pigs, determined to give her children a better life.

Jennifer’s farming journey wasn’t without challenges. Pests threatened her vegetables, diseases like African Swine Fever (ASF) loomed over her pigs, and sustaining animal feed was a constant concern. Yet, Jennifer was determined to succeed. Her breakthrough came when her mother-in-law introduced her to the AMIA  program.  

Through AMIA seminars, Jennifer learned science-based techniques to protect and sustain her farm. For instance, she fortified her biosafety measures, fed her sow with papaya, kangkong, and kamote, and maintained corn feeds for her chickens. Her efforts paid off. While ASF devastated neighboring farms, Jennifer’s sow survived, gave birth twice, and brought her significant income.   

The income from her farm transformed Jennifer’s family life. She proudly shared how her sow’s earnings allowed them to buy a motorcycle, which eased their daily commute. When her eldest child needed a bicycle and the second child needed a cellphone for online classes, Jennifer provided them without hesitation. Her farm’s income also helped repair their once-dilapidated balcony, a dream she never thought possible.

Gone were the days when her children were ridiculed for lacking school supplies or proper nutrition. The family’s quality of life improved, and Jennifer’s anger was replaced with joy and hope. Even her children joined in the farming efforts, feeding the chickens and maintaining the garden, making them active contributors to their family’s success.

Jennifer credits the AMIA program for lifting her family out of poverty and for inspiring her to dream bigger. Her involvement with farmers’ groups and other organizations connected her to a supportive community; through shared experiences and knowledge, Jennifer learned that perseverance and collaboration could overcome even the toughest challenges.

In 2023, Jennifer and her group received a greenhouse through the AMIA program. The excitement of this new opportunity brought the group closer together, and Jennifer is eager to see their products prosper.  

Today, Jennifer smiles as she looks at her blooming vegetables, healthy livestock, and her children who now dream alongside her. For Jennifer, farming isn’t just a livelihood; it’s a source of healing, pride, and a brighter future for her family.  

Thanks to the AMIA program and her unyielding spirit, Jennifer has built a better life and inspired those around her to keep going, no matter the odds. ###

Photos by: Georgia Mae Cordova/DA-RAFIS 6