TABUK CITY, Kalinga – The Department of Agriculture’s (DA) Search for Outstanding Rural Women (SORW)-National Technical Committee (NTC) conducted field validation for the FY2024 Regional Winner and National Nominee Wilma C. Alvester of New Tanglag, Tabuk, Kalinga on January 14-16, 2025.
Alvester is among the nine shortlisted individuals out of the 13 national SORW nominees nationwide. They were assessed based on three major criteria namely: contribution to food security/agricultural and fishery development; contribution to sustainable development and use of climate resilient or environment/women-friendly technologies, and impact of rural women.
Jo Ann Grace Pera of the DA-Agriculture and Fisheries Information Division led the technical committee. They conducted on-site verification of the nominee’s profile and the modes of verifications. Interviews with the nominee, members of her community organizations, and partners from the municipal and provincial local government units including visitation to the nominee’s various production areas and cassava processing facility were also conducted.
Winners will be announced during an awarding ceremony within the first semester of this year.
The SORW, launched by the DA in 2003, is an annual recognition that formally recognizes rural women who exemplify excellence and made outstanding accomplishments towards agri-fishery sector development creating impact not only within their families but also to the members of their communities. By Janice B. Agrifino