U.S. Congressman Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan, third left, with local agriculturist Isidoro Tudela Cabrera, his sister Saipan and Northern Islands Municipal Council member Carmen Cabrera Pangelinan, left, and daughters, Antonette Esco, Shani Joy and granddaughter Isa.
AT his farewell town hall meeting last week, outgoing U.S. Congressman Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan handed local agriculturist Isidoro Tudela Cabrera a framed copy of a congressional tribute that Kilili introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives on Oct. 1, 2024.
In his tribute to Cabrera, Kilili urged his fellow members of Congress to celebrate Cabrera’s over four-decades-long commitment to agriculture, and to thank him for all the nourishment he has grown for those who call the CNMI home.
Born to the late Gregorio Camacho Cabrera and Escolastica Tudela Cabrera on Saipan in 1953, Isidoro Cabrera spent his life learning how to grow food and sharing his passion for agriculture with the people of the Marianas.
Cabrera graduated from Vudal Agricultural College in Papua New Guinea with a degree in Tropical Agriculture and later received a certification in seed technology from the University of the Philippines.
He began his professional career by working for the Trust Territory government as an intern and an entomology technician.
After the establishment of the Commonwealth government, Cabrera transitioned to work for its Plant Division as an agriculturist.
In 1987, he moved to the Department of Lands and Natural Resources where he was an agriculture extension agent until his retirement in 1998.
He then joined Northern Marianas College’s Cooperative Research, Extension and Education Services where he serves as consultant to this day.
Outside of his professional career, Cabrera is equally passionate about agriculture. He taught students how to start their own school garden at his alma mater, Marianas High School, and has also worked with students at Kagman Elementary School and Kagman Head Start to demonstrate his love for growing food.
He is a founding member of the Saipan Sabalu Farmers Market Association, which operates a regular farmers market. He has served on the boards of the Saipan Farmers Market Association, the Saipan Agricultural Association, the CNMI Farmers Cooperative and the Amot Natibu Association, which has created a field guide to medicinal plants in the Marianas in the Chamorro and Carolinian languages.
According to Kilili, “understanding the significance of soil and water, Cabrera has spent a significant part of his career working on soil and water conservation as it relates to agriculture. Additionally, he studied hydroponics and set up his own farm, sharing his knowledge of this technology with anyone interested.”
“Last year, he lost the love of his life Susana with whom he shared three children, Isidoro Victor, Shani Joy, and Antonette; 10 grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren. It is not unusual to see him accompanied by one of these grandchildren, taking the harvest of his garden to share with neighbors and friends,” Kilili said.
