ALIAGA, Nueva Ecija – The El Niño phenomenon proved to be no match for innovative farmers and well-set infrastructure.
This was how farmer Rolando Acain, a mechanical engineer from Barangay San Juan here, summed up the triumph over the severe weather phenomenon that affects farmers in several parts of the country this summer.
He was cited as one of the model farmers during the Grand Harvest Festival held in cooperation with the Department of Agriculture (DA) and hybrid seed producer SL-8H Agritech here last Friday.
Agriculture Undersecretary Joel Rodinas said that based on the “crop cut” made on Acain’s field, the engineer turned-full time-farmer, harvests 11 to 12 tons or 221 sacks of rice grains per hectare, a large advantage over the traditional farming that uses inbred’s 5 to 6 tons only.
Rodinas also noted that Acain uses new technologies that include the proper use of irrigation water.
“Makikita niyo yung bukid ni Mr. Acain, ilang araw bago pa anihin, talagang hindi na pinatutubigan,” the agriculture official said.
Such technique, according to Rodinas, has not only resulted to water conservation but also effective and easy harvesting.
Acain said he himself had a hard time perfecting the technique of modern farming. “Hindi nga kami makapaniwala na kakasya yung 20 kilos ng SL-8H sa isang ektarya kaya dinagdagan namin,” he said.
But this, he stressed, resulted to unproductively close distances of plants that lessened their potential produce.
“Tapos sa pataba. Medyo matakaw sa pataba pero kailangan talagang ibigay,” he said.
He noted that the production of hybrid rice would entail increase in cost from 20 to 30 percent. “But it’s worth it since there is more than 100 percent increase in yield.”
Acain also agreed with irrigation officials that other than the skin-felt heat, El Niño can be considered a non-event in Nueva Ecija particularly in Aliaga ang adjoining municipalities due to adequate water supply from Pantabangan Dam.
“Mainit lang ang panahon pero walang kakapusan ng tubig dito sa amin.”
Roy Imperial, agriculture regional technical director for operations, said the Arroyo government has invested a huge amount of money in rehabilitating and constructing irrigation facilities in Nueva Ecija in the past few years.
Henry Lim, owner of SL-8H and acknowledged father of hybrid seeds in the country, said they expect the increase to 100 hectares of rice field planted to hybrid seeds in the next summer season.
“From only 38,000 it tremendously increased this season and we hope it can go to 100,000” he said.
This was how farmer Rolando Acain, a mechanical engineer from Barangay San Juan here, summed up the triumph over the severe weather phenomenon that affects farmers in several parts of the country this summer.
He was cited as one of the model farmers during the Grand Harvest Festival held in cooperation with the Department of Agriculture (DA) and hybrid seed producer SL-8H Agritech here last Friday.
Agriculture Undersecretary Joel Rodinas said that based on the “crop cut” made on Acain’s field, the engineer turned-full time-farmer, harvests 11 to 12 tons or 221 sacks of rice grains per hectare, a large advantage over the traditional farming that uses inbred’s 5 to 6 tons only.
Rodinas also noted that Acain uses new technologies that include the proper use of irrigation water.
“Makikita niyo yung bukid ni Mr. Acain, ilang araw bago pa anihin, talagang hindi na pinatutubigan,” the agriculture official said.
Such technique, according to Rodinas, has not only resulted to water conservation but also effective and easy harvesting.
Acain said he himself had a hard time perfecting the technique of modern farming. “Hindi nga kami makapaniwala na kakasya yung 20 kilos ng SL-8H sa isang ektarya kaya dinagdagan namin,” he said.
But this, he stressed, resulted to unproductively close distances of plants that lessened their potential produce.
“Tapos sa pataba. Medyo matakaw sa pataba pero kailangan talagang ibigay,” he said.
He noted that the production of hybrid rice would entail increase in cost from 20 to 30 percent. “But it’s worth it since there is more than 100 percent increase in yield.”
Acain also agreed with irrigation officials that other than the skin-felt heat, El Niño can be considered a non-event in Nueva Ecija particularly in Aliaga ang adjoining municipalities due to adequate water supply from Pantabangan Dam.
“Mainit lang ang panahon pero walang kakapusan ng tubig dito sa amin.”
Roy Imperial, agriculture regional technical director for operations, said the Arroyo government has invested a huge amount of money in rehabilitating and constructing irrigation facilities in Nueva Ecija in the past few years.
Henry Lim, owner of SL-8H and acknowledged father of hybrid seeds in the country, said they expect the increase to 100 hectares of rice field planted to hybrid seeds in the next summer season.
“From only 38,000 it tremendously increased this season and we hope it can go to 100,000” he said.
