Friday, August 2, 2013

Small farmers cites high production


SAN ILDEFONSO, Bulacan--Call them small, but farmers in this agricultural town are nothing but small, and they are producing big.

This is due to their continued utilization of modern agricultural technologies that has been tested abroad.

An example is the use of plastic mulch which was first introduce in Taiwan, then the drip irrigation system practiced and perfected in Israel and India, and the use of effective micro-organize first practiced in Japan.

Apolinario Cruz, a 59-year old farmer from Barangay Pala-pala here said that new technologies have dramatically increased production in his four hectare farm.

“I was able to send my Children to college, one of them has graduated already, and that is only through farming,” he said.

The same was echoed by Reynaldo Victoria, a farmer from Barangay Bubulong Malaki here.

Victoria said that in the last 1o years, he has been using plastic mulch in his farm which dramatically reduced cost of maintenance of the farm like regular removal of weeds.

Like Cruz, Victoria said that he also regular participated in training workshops to increase his knowledge on new technologies.

The most recent training they participated on is the Kabalikat sa Kabuhayan Livelihood training which introduced them to drip irrigation system and the use of effective microorganisms.

The three month long training module that required hands on practice ended with a harvest festival yesterday at the Bulacan Agricultural State College (BASC) demo farm here.

The said training program is aimed at increasing capacities of local farmers as 2015 draw near.

Connie Angeles, head of the Livelihood and Outreach Program of the SM Foundation Incorporated (SMFI) said that by 2015 there will be open trading Asia and local farmers must be prepared not only to produce but be an entrepreneur.

SMFI sponsored the training program and partnered with Harbest Agribusiness.

Angeles said that out of the 126 participants from Bulacan, 80 had completed the module and will join 6,500 other farmers in the country who had earlier participated in the said training.

“So far, those who participated in our trainings has testified they in made a difference in their lives, especially on their harvest,’ Angeles said.


She said that they will continue to hold trainings in other provinces to further equip farmers with new technologies and improve their production. (Dino Balabo)

No comments:

Post a Comment