PCARRD News
MS Penalosa Promotes Organic Farming
Written by Niño Manaog,
WESVARRDEC-RAC
Monday, 22 February 2010
Bacolod City – “We can address the problem of poverty by teaching people about farming”, said Magsasaka Siyentista (MS) Ramon D. Peñalosa Jr. during a forum of the Negros Organic Festival held late last year.
MS Peñalosa of the Western Visayas Agriculture and Resources Research and Development Consortium (WESVARRDEC) shared his expertise on probiotics-based swine raising.
He stressed the need to create a market for organic farm products. He added that value-addition through better packaging can make their products more marketable. This elicited a number of queries and feedback from the audience.
Fellow organic farm owner Ayesha Vera-Yu was convinced of Peñalosa’s farming practices. She found Peñalosa’s lecture to be engaging because he is giving real-life examples. , Moreover, Yu enjoyed the “vivacity of the speaker who effectively relates with his audience.”
At the farm
Peñalosa applies the integrated natural farming system in his farms in Manapla and Victoria City, Negros Occidental. This makes his farms environment-friendly, low-maintenance, self-sustainable, and profitable. Peñalosa achieves this by practicing zero waste management, intercropping, vermi-composting and probiotics-based swine technology.
Regularly assisting Peñalosa is Mrs. Edna Garde, manager of the Farmers Information and Technology Services (FITS) Center based in the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPA) in Negros Occidental. During the organic fest week, Peñalosa hosted two batches of visitors from the Cordillera Region and Negros Oriental. Garde said that the good number of visitors to the Peñalosa farms adds to the good figures for agri-tourism in their province.
Garde says that their province is proud of the “edible landscape” advocated by Peñalosa. The concept of edible landscape promotes backyard farming because it is easy to maintain and does not rely on commercially available pesticides.
Source: http://maidon.pcarrd.dost.gov.ph/joomla/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1728&Itemid=94
WESVARRDEC-RAC
Monday, 22 February 2010
Bacolod City – “We can address the problem of poverty by teaching people about farming”, said Magsasaka Siyentista (MS) Ramon D. Peñalosa Jr. during a forum of the Negros Organic Festival held late last year.
MS Peñalosa of the Western Visayas Agriculture and Resources Research and Development Consortium (WESVARRDEC) shared his expertise on probiotics-based swine raising.
He stressed the need to create a market for organic farm products. He added that value-addition through better packaging can make their products more marketable. This elicited a number of queries and feedback from the audience.
Fellow organic farm owner Ayesha Vera-Yu was convinced of Peñalosa’s farming practices. She found Peñalosa’s lecture to be engaging because he is giving real-life examples. , Moreover, Yu enjoyed the “vivacity of the speaker who effectively relates with his audience.”
At the farm
Peñalosa applies the integrated natural farming system in his farms in Manapla and Victoria City, Negros Occidental. This makes his farms environment-friendly, low-maintenance, self-sustainable, and profitable. Peñalosa achieves this by practicing zero waste management, intercropping, vermi-composting and probiotics-based swine technology.
Regularly assisting Peñalosa is Mrs. Edna Garde, manager of the Farmers Information and Technology Services (FITS) Center based in the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPA) in Negros Occidental. During the organic fest week, Peñalosa hosted two batches of visitors from the Cordillera Region and Negros Oriental. Garde said that the good number of visitors to the Peñalosa farms adds to the good figures for agri-tourism in their province.
Garde says that their province is proud of the “edible landscape” advocated by Peñalosa. The concept of edible landscape promotes backyard farming because it is easy to maintain and does not rely on commercially available pesticides.
Source: http://maidon.pcarrd.dost.gov.ph/joomla/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1728&Itemid=94
FITS Buenavista Hosts Calamansi Farmers Forum
Written by Niño Manaog
WESVARRDEC-RAC
Monday, 22 February 2010
Spurred by the theme, “Buenavista: Amligan (protect), Patahumon (beautify), Pasanyugon (improve)”, some 60 calamansi growers from 19 barangays of Buenavista, Guimaras participated in the farmers’ forum on organic farming and calamansi production. The forum was co-sponsored by the Farmers Information and Technology Services (FITS) Center in Buenavista, local government of Buenavista, and Guimaras State College (GSC).
Dr. Eleuterio Guarino, a professor of the Aklan State University (ASU) and a crop production specialist, shared his know-how and useful practices in organic production of calamansi.
Community feedback
Eighty-two-year-old farmer Jesus Medina was inspired to practice vermi-composting in his 5-ha calamansi farm. Medina hopes that organic farming can help rehabilitate his abandoned farm.
Partner farmers Elme Tayo and Janie Legita said that Guarino gave fresh ideas on planting, pruning, and other cultivation practices. They agreed that the local government should find a way to increase the market price for calamansi.
Currently, they are shipping their goods to Bacolod and Iloilo for a higher price.
Processing initiatives
Meanwhile, calamansi farm and nursery owner Theresa Pama developed calamansi-processing innovations that helped boost her sales. She said that this could strengthen the industry by luring more producers and processors.
According to Techno Gabay team leader and GSC Research Director Lilian Diana Parreño, Pama will be evaluated for the Magsasaka Siyentista title under the Western Visayas Agriculture and Resources Research and Development Consortium (WESVARRDEC) this year.
Guarino acknowledged the importance of processing and marketing in calamansi production. FITS Manager Jonathan Elidia agreed and said that calamansi processing is the prime concern of the center. Elidia also recognized the importance of farmer organizations that can aid calamansi farmers in Buenavista.
Source: http://maidon.pcarrd.dost.gov.ph/joomla/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1729&Itemid=94
WESVARRDEC-RAC
Monday, 22 February 2010
Spurred by the theme, “Buenavista: Amligan (protect), Patahumon (beautify), Pasanyugon (improve)”, some 60 calamansi growers from 19 barangays of Buenavista, Guimaras participated in the farmers’ forum on organic farming and calamansi production. The forum was co-sponsored by the Farmers Information and Technology Services (FITS) Center in Buenavista, local government of Buenavista, and Guimaras State College (GSC).
Dr. Eleuterio Guarino, a professor of the Aklan State University (ASU) and a crop production specialist, shared his know-how and useful practices in organic production of calamansi.
Community feedback
Eighty-two-year-old farmer Jesus Medina was inspired to practice vermi-composting in his 5-ha calamansi farm. Medina hopes that organic farming can help rehabilitate his abandoned farm.
Partner farmers Elme Tayo and Janie Legita said that Guarino gave fresh ideas on planting, pruning, and other cultivation practices. They agreed that the local government should find a way to increase the market price for calamansi.
Currently, they are shipping their goods to Bacolod and Iloilo for a higher price.
Processing initiatives
Meanwhile, calamansi farm and nursery owner Theresa Pama developed calamansi-processing innovations that helped boost her sales. She said that this could strengthen the industry by luring more producers and processors.
According to Techno Gabay team leader and GSC Research Director Lilian Diana Parreño, Pama will be evaluated for the Magsasaka Siyentista title under the Western Visayas Agriculture and Resources Research and Development Consortium (WESVARRDEC) this year.
Guarino acknowledged the importance of processing and marketing in calamansi production. FITS Manager Jonathan Elidia agreed and said that calamansi processing is the prime concern of the center. Elidia also recognized the importance of farmer organizations that can aid calamansi farmers in Buenavista.
Source: http://maidon.pcarrd.dost.gov.ph/joomla/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1729&Itemid=94
