SAMAL, Bataan – A farmer leader and a non-governmental organization (NGO) on Sunday urged farmers here to practice organic farming to “restore the lost soil elements in most ricelands in Bataan.”
Isagani Serrano, chief of the provincial office of the Philippine Rural Reconstruction Movement (PRRM) and farmer leader Raul dela Rosa said farmers have to go back to the use of organic fertilizers and botanical pesticides.
Serrano and dela Rosa warned that most ricelands here are have been “addicted and drug dependents” to inorganic or the costly commercial fertilizers.
On the other hand, they lauded the establishment of the first two demonstration farms on organic farming in the province.
Serrano said that old farmers used to practice organic farming because inorganic fertilizers was not yet introduced then.
“Na-addict na sila sa kulturang inorganic farming nang patuloy silang gumamit ng mga commercial fertilizers at ito ang kailangang matanggal upang bumalik ang magsasaka sa organic farming, this time sa modernong organic farming na, “ the PRRM official said.
He called on the media to help promote sustainable farming. “It will be a great help to farmers, it will create livelihood and it will be good for the environment,” he added.
Nora Medina, Samal municipal agriculturist, said that of the 1,259 hectares of ricelands here, only five hectares used for organic farming. There are 15,371 hectares of lands devoted to rice cultivation in 11 towns and one city. Like in Samal, she said only a few hectares are into organic farming.
“Addict na ang mga lupa sa sobra at patuloy na paggamit ng inorganic fertilizers at sa pamamag-itan ng mga training, demonstration farm at paggamit ng organic fertilizers ay kailangang ma-rehab na ang mga lupang sakahan,” dela Rosa said.
He said that aside from Samal, another half-hectare demo farm was also established in Dinalupihan, making the two areas as the first demo farms in Bataan. A portion of the farm is into traditional farming while the other half is engaged into pure organic farming and the use of botanical pesticides. “Oobserbahan ang resulta ng bawat tanim at kung alin ang mas dadami ang ani,” the farmer leader said.
Dela Rosa said that if the demonstration farms in Samal and Dinalupihan will be successful, other demo farms will be established in the rest of the towns. He said that 50 farmers are undergoing training every Sunday. They have attended six Sundays out of the 16 Sundays needed to complete the course.
The training teaches farmers how to make organic fertilizers and botanical pesticides out of available materials in the area. The project is a joint undertaking of the Department of Agriculture and PRRM.
“Kung bumalik na ang dating sigla ng mga lupa, babalik na rin ang mga isda, palaka at ibang mga hayop sa kabukiran na kapaki-pakinabang sa kapaligiran,” dela Rosa said.
Farmer Nestor Estrada said he has been using organic fertilizers for two years already and he said “the results are good.”
He showed various ingredients in the making of organic fertilizers like carbonized rice hull, fermented fruit juice from the fruits of bananas, fermented plant juice from banana trunks, and other liquid extracted from mixtures of the leaves of neem and mahogany trees, garlic, cow, chicken and pig dung, kakawati, makabuhay and “pulot”. He also showed the finished product.
He said that in 14 days, organic fertilizers will be ready for use. He said that among his neighboring farms, only two hectares this planting season have used organic fertilizers. “Susubukin muna nila,” Estrada said. Another farmer, Ric Bugay, said he will begin using organic fertilizers “upang hindi masira ang kalikasan.”
Isagani Serrano, chief of the provincial office of the Philippine Rural Reconstruction Movement (PRRM) and farmer leader Raul dela Rosa said farmers have to go back to the use of organic fertilizers and botanical pesticides.
Serrano and dela Rosa warned that most ricelands here are have been “addicted and drug dependents” to inorganic or the costly commercial fertilizers.
On the other hand, they lauded the establishment of the first two demonstration farms on organic farming in the province.
Serrano said that old farmers used to practice organic farming because inorganic fertilizers was not yet introduced then.
“Na-addict na sila sa kulturang inorganic farming nang patuloy silang gumamit ng mga commercial fertilizers at ito ang kailangang matanggal upang bumalik ang magsasaka sa organic farming, this time sa modernong organic farming na, “ the PRRM official said.
He called on the media to help promote sustainable farming. “It will be a great help to farmers, it will create livelihood and it will be good for the environment,” he added.
Nora Medina, Samal municipal agriculturist, said that of the 1,259 hectares of ricelands here, only five hectares used for organic farming. There are 15,371 hectares of lands devoted to rice cultivation in 11 towns and one city. Like in Samal, she said only a few hectares are into organic farming.
“Addict na ang mga lupa sa sobra at patuloy na paggamit ng inorganic fertilizers at sa pamamag-itan ng mga training, demonstration farm at paggamit ng organic fertilizers ay kailangang ma-rehab na ang mga lupang sakahan,” dela Rosa said.
He said that aside from Samal, another half-hectare demo farm was also established in Dinalupihan, making the two areas as the first demo farms in Bataan. A portion of the farm is into traditional farming while the other half is engaged into pure organic farming and the use of botanical pesticides. “Oobserbahan ang resulta ng bawat tanim at kung alin ang mas dadami ang ani,” the farmer leader said.
Dela Rosa said that if the demonstration farms in Samal and Dinalupihan will be successful, other demo farms will be established in the rest of the towns. He said that 50 farmers are undergoing training every Sunday. They have attended six Sundays out of the 16 Sundays needed to complete the course.
The training teaches farmers how to make organic fertilizers and botanical pesticides out of available materials in the area. The project is a joint undertaking of the Department of Agriculture and PRRM.
“Kung bumalik na ang dating sigla ng mga lupa, babalik na rin ang mga isda, palaka at ibang mga hayop sa kabukiran na kapaki-pakinabang sa kapaligiran,” dela Rosa said.
Farmer Nestor Estrada said he has been using organic fertilizers for two years already and he said “the results are good.”
He showed various ingredients in the making of organic fertilizers like carbonized rice hull, fermented fruit juice from the fruits of bananas, fermented plant juice from banana trunks, and other liquid extracted from mixtures of the leaves of neem and mahogany trees, garlic, cow, chicken and pig dung, kakawati, makabuhay and “pulot”. He also showed the finished product.
He said that in 14 days, organic fertilizers will be ready for use. He said that among his neighboring farms, only two hectares this planting season have used organic fertilizers. “Susubukin muna nila,” Estrada said. Another farmer, Ric Bugay, said he will begin using organic fertilizers “upang hindi masira ang kalikasan.”
