Agriculture.ph Blog

Pointers on makapuno

We just received the latest Highlights, a publication of the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Resources Research and Development (PCARRD).

Since we have featured the hundred-percent makapuno in our recent articles, we think it very timely to share some research results from PCARRD regarding the fertilizer management of embryo-cultured Makapuno Tall (ECMAKT) seedlings.

We would like to quote the findings of Ubaldo and his colleagues from the Philippine Coconut Authority regarding the nutrient requirement of ECMAKT seedlings and the fertilizer management system during early stages of development.

The researchers found that the application of complete fertilizer (14-14-14) at 6 to 9 grams per seedling significantly produced taller ECMAKT seedlings with bigger girth size. They also had greater number of living fronds two to 12 months from initial fertilization compared with seedlings that were applied foliar fertilizer and those unfertilized.

Both embryo-cultured Laguna Tall (ECLAGT) and ECMAKT coconut seedlings fertilized with common table salt at 18 to 54 grams per seedling and chicken manure at 250 to 750 grams per seedling, applied at 2-month intervals within a 12-month period in the nursery, significantly produced bigger girth size, taller seedlings, and more living fronds than the unfertilized seedlings.

They also found that the application of minimum rates of salt (18 grams per seedling) and chicken manure (250 grams per seedling), divided equally during the 12-month nursery stage, gave the best vegetative growth compared with that of complete fertilizer (6 grams per seedling).

The research was concluded in 2006, and the researchers noted that it cost more to use minimum rates of salt and chicken manure on a per seedling basis (31 centavos) than complete fertilizer (9 centavos). Of course the price of complete fertilizer at the time of the research was about half the price of the present cost of 14-14-14 which is now around R1,900 per 50-kilo bag.

The researchers conducted their study in Luzon. They suggest that for location-specific fertilizer management of ECMAKT seedlings, Ubaldo and his group recommend that a similar study be conducted at PCA-Davao and Zamboanga due to differences in soil and weather conditions.

Written by Zac Sarian

Source: www.mb.com.ph

Question: What’s the most widely grown vegetable in the Philippines?

Answer: The tomato. (Note: Legally, a tomato is a vegetable but botanically, it’s a fruit, being a member of the berry family.)

Reference: www.bar.gov.ph

Photo Courtesy: www.stuartxchange.com

Batch-type coffee roaster: A brewing opportunity for smallscale coffee business

No coffee can be good in the mouth that does not first send a sweet offering of odor to the nostrils. Thus, the famous line of Henry Ward Beecher, which has now found its way in the personalized coffee mugs sold nationwide.

Filipinos love to drink coffee. Drinking coffee is a favorite pastime and an engaging social activity for many of us. The sprouting of various coffee shops in almost every corner of the metro has become the most evident indication that the coffee shop industry is a thriving business.

Our love for coffee was basically brought about by the colonization of the country by the Spaniards more than two centuries ago when they turned our highlands into coffee plantations. They loved the perfect mix of heat, humidity and cold plus the wet and dry tropical climate that made the cultivation of coffee well suited in the Philippines.

Growing coffee became such a profitable venture that for a while, the Philippines was one of the leading coffee-producing nations during the 19th century. But due to the coffee rust disease such reputation was cut short. It was during this time that the Latin American countries battled it out and dominated the global coffee market.

In the Philippines, the coffee plantations are mostly concentrated in the mountains of Batangas, Bukidnon, Benguet, Cavite, Kalinga-Apayao, Davao , Claveria, and Misamis Oriental. Approximately 60,000 – 80,000 families with roughly 120,000 hectares of productive land grow coffee. These lands are both home and production unit for our local coffee growers.

The key to good coffee is bean roasting
In a recent market study conducted by Ronald Mark G. Omaña of the Center for Food and Agri Business University of Asia and the Pacific, he cited “coffee bean roasting formula as the critical factor” among major specialty coffee shop owners in the Philippines as “ it is this stage where the coffee bean releases its fullest flavor potential. Poorly roasted beans would yield poor-tasting coffee drink.”

Top photo: Batch-type roaster developed by Engr. Ruel Mojica
Below photo: A shovel of fresh roasted coffee beans.
Left: Coffee beans change color after roasting.

For coffee connoisseur and self-confessed addicts, the difference always lies in how the coffee was prepared. Before, we were used to drinking instant coffees, simply because they are ubiquitous and are easy to prepare.

But with the emergence of specialty coffee shops both foreign and local brands, even the tongue that was once used to drinking instant coffees are now craving for the “real coffee”—made from coffee beans grown in ideal climates and prepared according to standards, thus the distinct rich taste and flavor.

Before your rich coffee ends in your favorite mug and be enjoyed, it must first undergo several processes, one of which is roasting.

Roasting coffee is the process of applying heat to transform the chemical and physical properties of green coffee beans into roasted coffee products. By applying heat, impurities in the beans are dried off for oxidizing products. This process is integral in producing a savory cup of coffee. Right amount of heat, right timing, in a uniform manner are required to achieve the desired flavor from the beans.

The heat problem in coffee roasting
Coffee shops in the Philippines continue to thrive by the numbers. But most of them are under franchising arrangements with big, foreign companies. These franchising companies can afford expensive roasters and other costly equipment.

With huge processing equipment, an ordinary coffee grower cannot compete with them. There might be a few available coffee roasters for smallscale roasting but they may not turn out as efficient as the expensive ones, resulting to poor quality roasted beans.

Since coffee roasting involves proper heat application, common problems encountered include the uneven distribution of heat inside the roasting chamber and the lack of insulating materials which results to excessive heat loss.

There is, therefore, a need for locally manufactured coffee roaster specifically for smallscale roasting purposes to boost the smallscale coffee growers in the country.

Low cost coffee roaster for smallscale business
Responding to this problem, Engr. Ruel M. Mojica of the Cavite State University (CaVSU) and Dr. Engelbert K. Peralta of the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB) developed the first ever batch-type coffee roaster that can be used for small-scale roasting.

The coffee roaster was designed and fabricated at the College of Engineering and Agro-Industrial Technology in UPLB wherein the machine’s performance was also evaluated. The prototype coffee roaster is made up of six major parts: roasting chamber, outside drum, auger, heating plate, and burner. Parameters used during the evaluation included: auger speed, roasting time, valve opening, and fuel consumption.

Results of the performance evaluation, showed that the machine had varying levels of auger speed. However, the varying speed made no significant effect on all the response variables. They also found an increase in roasting time which decreased the weight and moisture content of the roasted beans.

Varying the levels of valve opening was found to have significant effects on the weight and moisture content of the roasted beans as well as the fuel consumption of the machine. No significant effect was noted on the roasting capacity of the machine.

In terms of sensory evaluation, coffee obtained using treatment combination of 40-rpm auger speed, 60-minute roasting time, and 3/4 open valve obtained the highest coffee rating of 86.1.

In the cost and return analysis, results showed that using this coffee roaster for smallscale custom work can be a profitable business venture with a potential net income of P63, 451.49 annually.

Some innovations
The prototype model of the batch-type coffee roaster was first completed in 2005 but further innovations are being done to further improve the capability of the developed machine.

These are: 1) evaluation of the machine using other coffee varieties (e.g. Arabica, Liberica, etc.); 2) development of a microcontroller-based temperature control unit and software that would control the operation of the machine for a given period of time, 3) evaluation of the machine using other crops (e.g. cacao, peanut) aside from coffee; and 4) use of Response Surface Methodology (RSM) to determine the optimum operating conditions of the machine. end

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This article was based on the study, “Development and Evaluation of Batch-type Coffee Roaster for Small-Scale Roasting” by Engr. Ruel M. Mojica of the Cavite State University (CaVSU), Indang, Cavite, Philippines.

For more information, please contact the project leader, Engr. Ruel M. Mojica at the Department of Agricultural and Food Engineering, CaVSU at telephone no. (046) 415-0021 or fax no. (046) 415-0012 or through his mobile number: 09272510497 or e-mail him at ruelmojica@yahoo.com

Reference: www.bar.gov.ph

Aeroponic farming is a soil-less method of cultivation developed by the Nanyang Technological University and National Institute of Education; in Singapore. Roots of plants are suspended in the air and sprayed with fine mist containing a nutrient solution. Sophisticated plumbing and computer controls monitor the flow of water and nutrients to the growing chambers. Special polystyrene is used to support the growing plants. The air around the roots must be kept cool to stimulate the temperate climate essential to the vegetables. The greenhouses are covered with a fine nylon mesh that allows airflow while keeping out insects.

aeroponic farming
The greenhouses are covered with a fine nylon mesh that allows airflow while keeping out insects.

Aeroponic is similar to hydroponics in that they are both soilless methods of farming. The difference is aeroponic uses air while hydroponics uses water. The latter method was first used in Israel after World War II.

This kind of farming is pesticide-free and hygienic. It also promises less wastage, which means more savings for the consumers.

Vegetables grown “aeroponically” are guaranteed to be farm fresh because they are harvested daily and they can be stored in the chiller for more than a week.

Vegetable grown “aeroponically” are guaranteed to be farm-fresh because they are harvested daily and they can be stored in the chiller for more than a week.

There are seven different kinds of temperate vegetables being grown today at AeroGreen farm in Singapore, which is said to be the pioneer farm in Asia to adapt the aeroponics technology. These are Butterhead lettuce, Batavia, Baby Cos, Kai Lan, Bai Cai, Lollo Rossa, and Japanese Yukari (Chy Sim).

Source: (‘Vegetables Grown In The Air”, Aero-Green Technology (S) PTE LTD (Neo Tiew Crescent, Singapore)

Reference: www.bar.gov.ph

Eucheuma farming: a better alternative

The seaweed resource is one of the most important marine resources. Production of seaweed through culture is one of the most productive form of livelihood benefiting thousands of coastal inhabitants in the country today (Trono, Jr., 1997).

eucheuma farmingThe country’s seaweed industry is presently the third ranking fishery industry. In 1996 alone, seaweed and seaweed products worth US$94 million were exported by the Philippines (Trono Jr., 1997). Local and international markets that include the United States, Japan, Latin America, Canada, and the neighboring Asian countries have and continually increased. However, the Philippines should put in mind that the need to further advance and exploit such valuable industry through research is still inevitable since most of our neighbors are catching up. In 1971, Eucheuma farming was instituted in the (Kappaphycus alvarezii/Eucheuma cottonii) are ‘carageenan ‘-bearing seaweed abundant in Philippine waters. Numerous food and industrial products such as binders, thickeners, and emulsifiers require ‘carageenan’ as a main ingredient.

Because of positive reports and outcomes, researches and Eucheuma culture spread to other farming systems and eventually, to the Mindanao areas where conditions are favorable for its farming.

One such research”, the study on “Eucheuma Farming in Selected Areas of Palawan”. The long coastline characteristic of Palawan made it ideal for seaweed farming. Researchers of the Inland Sea Ranching Station, a research Department of Agriculture based in Puerto Princesa City conceived and implemented the project in support to the Seaweed Development Program of the Local Government Unit of Palawan. Through this project, Palawan is envisioned to be a competent and world-class seaweed producer.

Potential areas of Palawan that can be utilized for Eucheuma farming were determined through multi-location testing. Through this, the transfer of Eucheuma to the different fishing communities of Palawan was made easy. Local Government Units, DA, and seaweed processors, provided seminars, training, technical assistance, and market links to the fisherfolk.

The study yielded several conclusions and findings that has proven Eucheuma technology beneficial to the fisherfolk of Palawan.

It was estimated that 50,000 families benefited from the technology. Palawan has also established itself as a prime seaweed producer, providing 142,000 Mt. Annually which amounts to 23% of the country’s total seaweed production.

After the utilization of seaweed farming, it was calculated that the income of fisherfolk largely increased by P31-33,000 per annum. This helped alleviate poverty and further establish seaweed farming as a beneficial and rewarding form of livelihood.

The possibility of generating high income from this technology has made it attractive as an alternative livelihood for fisherfolk. It has economic viability which means high income returns can be expected in spite of low capital input. As a result, the further degeneration and destruction of overexploited fishing grounds can now be prevented.

Seaweed farming can also be regarded as a solution to the persistent problem of un/underemployment and basically eliminates idle labor by providing opportunities for entrepreneurship and self-managed businesses. Because it will require a sizeable number of manpower, the whole family can participate and earn at the same time.

However, several problems have also been anticipated following the utilization of this technology. First, unregulated seaweed farming may affect the natural ecosystem when overcrowding occurs. Second, the proliferation of seaweed farms may also pose resource-users conflict (Abrera et al, 1998). Open fishing areas would be limited and could mean inadequate catch for fishermen. Nonetheless, these problems could be prevented if strict implementation of existing laws on regulation of seaweed farming will be followed.

The potential of eucheuma farming to improve the general status of countryside livelihood in the Philippines is clearly evident. It is therefore vital that more researches and studies be conducted to further develop and expand the utilization of this technology.

Written by: Thea Kristina Pabuayon

Source: www.bar.gov.ph

Tamarind (Tamarindus indica Linn.) is one of the minor fruit crops in the Philippines with a great potential for commercialization. In certain parts of the country, it is an important crop because its fruits and other parts have varied food and medicinal uses.

Tamarind has great export potential because its fruit may be processed into a number of acceptable products. But the mature and ripened tamarind fruit of the sweet type is said to be more important and expensive than when it is processed. However, the supply still does not meet the demand.

Propagation
Tamarind may be propagated by seeds and asexual propagation (i.e. grafting). Propagation by seeds is not recommended because the resulting plants do not grow true-to-type.

Seeds obtained from healthy and mature fruits should be cleaned. Individual seeds are planted about two centimeters deep in potted soil rich in organic matter. A soil media with one part soil, one part sawdust, and one part compost is suggested.

For sweet tamarind, cleft grafting is recommended especially for large-scale propagation because it gives a higher percentage of success.

Rootstocks which are six months or older (about 0.8 to 1 cm in diameter) are used for grafting. Mature scions (budsticks) measuring 8-15 cm long and with the same diameter as rootstocks, and with well-developed buds are collected from full-bearing trees of outstanding characteristics. Defoliate the scion after collection and graft immediately. After grafting, cover the scion with plastic ice bag (4×12 in) and place the newly grafted plants under the shade. Transfer them in the open (full sunlight) when the new shoots develop.

Water the plants regularly. In 3-4 weeks, the scion will start to form shoots. It’s best to graft starting November up to May.

Transplanting
Before the onset of the rainy season, the land must be plowed once and harrowed several times until the soil is in its fine tilth. Stakes are set following the desired distance of planting (8 x 10 m). The dug holes must be large enough to accommodate the root system of the plants. The soil around the base of the plant should be packed firmly.

For lahar-laden areas, mix 5 kg compost with the soil. Put about six inches of the mixture before planting. Cover the base of the plant with the remaining mixture. Planting is best done during the rainy season.

Intercropping
For large-scale planting, intercrop the tamarind with short-season cash crops. This way, some income could be derived while the trees are not yet bearing fruits. When the trees have grown and their branches begin to touch each other, intercropping should be stopped.

Irrigation
Water the plants right after planting. This must be done as the needs arises. Sufficient water should be provided during the early years. In later years, watering becomes less critical. Irrigation is beneficial, especially for the development of flowers and fruits.

Fertilization
Tamarind trees bear fruit well even without fertilization. However, fertilizer application is recommended to keep the trees in healthy condition. As a general recommendation: apply 50 g of 16-20-0 and 100 g of 14-14-14 per tree one month after planting. The same amount is added at the end of the rainy season. The amount of fertilizer is gradually increased as the trees grow.

For early bearing fruits, apply 500 g of 14-14-14 per tree twice a year. A full bearing tree may need at least 3 kg of 14-14-14 per year.

Trimming and Pruning
Young trees require little trimming during the first few years. Remove the very low branches and cut long upright shoots during the early years. For bearing trees, remove dead, weak, diseased branches and water sprouts.

Control of Insect Pest and Diseases
There are no major diseases of sweet tamarind observed. However, insect pests such as bagworms, mealybugs, scale insects, leaf feeding caterpillars, shorthole borers and green locust were recorded. These pests may be controlled by spraying the trees with common insecticides at the recommended dosage.

Harvesting
Grafted sweet tamarind may start fruiting in about a year after planting. The fruit may be harvested half-ripe (malasebo) stage and full ripe stage.

To determine the half-ripe stage, scratch the fruit surface with the fingernail at the side not exposed to the sun to remove the brownish powdery material. Mature fruits have brown shells.

Fully ripened fruits are determined by just tapping with the finger which produces a hollow, loose sound. This is because the pulp shrinks at maturity and the skin becomes brittle. Since the fruits mature at different times, harvesting must be done by priming.

Fruits are usually harvested from January to February as the trees bear flowers in May or June.

(For more information contact the Pampanga Agricultural College, Magalang, Pampanga, or visit their website at http://www.pac.edu.ph)

Coconut also known as the “tree of life” is a multi-use commodity. From the trunk to the leaves to the fruits, a lot of things can be made out of them. Here are some examples of coconut products and other interesting (some odd) facts about the tree.

* One third of arable agricultural land, that is, 3 million hectares, is planted to coconut.
* Coconut is on top among all agricultural commodities. It earns an annual average of US$800 million from exports of 30 traditional and non-traditional coconut products and by products.
* The by-products of coconut include copra meal, activated carbon, coconut shell charcoal, coir, and coir dust.
* The end products of coconut include detergents, cosmetics, margarine, cooking oil, confectionery, vinegar and nata de coco.
* Twenty million Filipinos derive their livelihood from the coconut.
* Coconuts can now be cloned through tissue culture. Tissue culture is a relatively new approach in the propagation of elite, high-yielding and disease-resistant palms. It is an asexual technique of propagation by using the tissues of immature coconut flowers, buds and embryos. But tissue culture can be traced back to the 60’s when Dr. de Guzman of the Philippines started her work on embryo culture.
* There is such a thing as the “coconut cult. “Polynesians worship coconut as a god. They gave names to the different stages of development of the coconut starting from the seednut. A Papua New Guinean legend says that coconut came into existence even before the creation of men and that the natives take pride in calling themselves as coconut people.
* In some parts of Malaysia, the water of young tender coconuts is said to be good for curing asthma, food poisoning and reducing high blood pressure. It is done by burning the nuts, husk and shell for about an hour until three quarters of the husk turns black. The water is then drunk after cooling.
* The coconut sap can be used as medium for painting. An artist from the Philippines has been using coconut sap for the past decade in his quest for a truly Filipino identity and for economic reasons. He said that the coconut sap painting does not easily fade.
* Coconuts are used to ward off the evil spirits in Sri Lanka. The young king coconut and the king coconut inflorescence are used in the voodoo removing ceremonies.

(Sources: YearBook ‘97 Food and Agribusiness, Coconut News Magazine Special Edition 1998, The Cocomunity January-June 1999.)

Reference: www.bar.gov.ph

Agricultural Engineering: Transformers of modern day agriculture

Long time ago, when the cropping season for rice arrives, the sight of a carabao pulling a moldboard plow in a rice paddy field becomes a familiar scenario. Using the carabao as a draft, the farmer patiently guides the animal as it cultivates his field to have it ready for the sowing of rice’s seeds.

Assuming that the farmer has a one hectare rice field, with his faithful carabao and plow, he can have his field plowed in an average of 44 hours, harrowed in 36 hours, leveled in 14 hours and side cultivated in 3 hours.

Land preparation is most time-consuming and energy consuming stage in rice production. But not until the tractor was invented, land preparation required a minimum amount of time and energy. Using a two-wheel tractor, plowing and harrowing a hectare of land can be finished in an average of 11.3 hours and 8.6 hours, respectively. A four-wheel tractor meanwhile requires an estimated 5.3 hours for plowing and 3.6 hour for harrowing.

The tractor is one of the first machines devised to assist the farmer perform his job with ease. In an agricultural country like the Philippines, the role of engineering is vital in mechanizing agricultural production and processing and for the effective management of natural resources.

Philippine agriculture performance

During the first semester of 2007, agriculture grew by 3.50 percent, wherein a sustained increase in the total output of agriculture in the first two quarters of the year was noted. At current prices, the gross value of agricultural production expanded by 5.19 percent to P466.7 billion from P443.6 billion for the same period last year.

The agriculture sector has a huge livelihood making potential, especially in the areas of production and by-products processing, expansion of areas for cultivation, and intensification and diversification of agricultural production systems.

Impacts of Agricultural Engineering

Agricultural engineering is manifested mainly on mechanization of farm activities, development of machines for processing agricultural products, and irrigation. Hence, the introduction of agriculturally engineered technologies that suite the local condition will enable the agriculture sector to fully utilize its products and by-products, cultivate lands on a sustainable production basis, and intensify and diversify farming systems.

This in turn can generate employment, open possible opportunities for the country in the local market, reduce postharvest losses, increase the value of a product through processing, and help bring equity in the access to basic production systems.

Agricultural mechanization status

The level of mechanization in the Philippines, in terms of available mechanical power in the farm is 0.52 hp/ha.

In the country, there are few agricultural commodities whose operations are mechanized:

The sugarcane had the highest degree of mechanization among the major agricultural crops. Large imported equipment such as four-wheel tractors, plows, semi-automatic planters, cultivators, harvesters, and mills were used making 83 percent of farm operations in sugarcane mechanized.

In rice, land preparation is mechanized through the use of power tiller. Pumps are widely used to facilitate irrigation. About 47 percent of rice produced is threshed with the power threshers while 98 percent of the rice farmers bring their palay to rice mills. There is also practically one knapsack sprayer per farmer.

In corn, only the shelling operation is at high level of mechanization.

For coconut, mechanization has taken place through the presence of oil mills, oil refineries, desiccated coconut plants, activated carbon plants, and oleochemical plants.

In fruits, mechanization for both production and processing is low, and there exists only a few number of processing equipments (hot water tank, sorting and grading machines, chippers/slicers, dryers, evaporators and retorts).

In livestock, the feed milling operation for commercial feed mills is highly mechanized with imported and locally manufactured equipment consisting of forage chopper, hammer mill, mixer and pelletizer.

In general, the level of agricultural mechanization in the country is low as compared to other countries in Asia such as Japan, Korea, China, Pakistan, and India which has a level of mechanization at 7.00, 4.11, 3.88, and 1.02 hp/ha, respectively.

Agricultural Engineering R&D

Over the years, studies conducted on the design and development of machines were focused on rice production and processing. Other research and development (R&D) efforts on benchmark surveys, piloting, packaging, and impact evaluation technologies were also limited to rice. Moreover, there were limited studies on the development of machine standards, development of low-cost construction materials, and development of equipment for energy resources utilization.

To date, Table 1 (see page 6) shows the outstanding accomplishments in the field of agricultural engineering including the local manufacture and distribution of the following: power tiller/ trailer, floating tiller, axial-flow pump, axial-flow thresher, kiskisan rice mill, cono rice mill, crushing type corn sheller, corn mill, grain moisture meter, forage chopper, hammer mill, mixer, and windmill.

Technological breakthroughs were also made in the areas of crop production crop protection, harvesting, drying, milling, shelling, irrigation, and alternative energy.

Challenges

Despite the presence of institutions that works for the advancement of R&D in agricultural engineering, there is a lack in coordination among these institutions. As identified by the Committee on Agricultural Mechanization of the National Agriculture and Fishery Council (CAM-NAFC), agricultural engineering R&D should initially address the following problems plaguing its growth: 1) lack of coordination of R&D activities among implementing agencies; 2) insufficient R&D facilities and funds; and 3) absence of extensive assessment of farmers’ needs towards identification of viable and appropriate technologies.

Agricultural engineering has been developed without a clear vision of the economic and social impacts of the introduction of the technologies. In this regard, a comprehensive assessment and identification of the status, resource available, and need of agricultural engineering should be initiated at the national level to come up with a relevant approach to agricultural engineering.

At the moment, there are at three government agencies mandated to fund, coordinate, monitor and evaluate agricultural engineering R&D. These are the Bureau of Agricultural Research (BAR), Philippine Council for Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Resources Research and Development (PCARRD), and the Philippine Council for Industry and Energy Research Development (PCIERD). There are also at least three government agencies and two state universities that implement separate agricultural engineering programs. These are the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice), Bureau of Postharvest Research and Extension (BPRE), Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI), Central Luzon State University (CLSU), and University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB). These institutions act separately in identifying the gaps in agricultural engineering that must be addressed. This leads to lack of consultation and therefore duplication of studies.

In order to avoid duplication of works and wastage of resources, more coordination is needed with regards to the planning and implementation of agricultural engineering in R&D. Moreover, massive demonstrations and trainings on the operation of agricultural machinery at the farmers/operator’s level must also be done to provide the farmers and operators of the basic know-how’s of the technologies that is introduced to them.

The absence of adequate resources and funding is another story that keeps the Philippines behind other Asian countries, not only in the area of mechanization but in the whole field of agricultural engineering. The poor profitability of agricultural machinery manufacturers in the country due to the high costs of machines, the dumping and smuggling of imported agricultural machineries, and the uncontrolled entry of second-hand engines inhibits the proliferation of agricultural engineering technologies.

Desired industry situation

It is said that the agricultural engineering is a prerequisite to and a partner of industrialization. Industrialized countries have shown that regardless of socio-economic, cultural, and environmental settings, the evolutionary patterns to their industrial development can be traced down to agricultural engineering.

In the Agricultural Engineering RDE Agenda of BAR, the motivation to promote agricultural engineering in the country is clearly expressed and emphasized and the following were deemed necessary to be considered for its fulfillment:

Implementation of a National Agriculture Engineering Program
Though the role of agricultural engineering in agricultural development is evident, there has not been any concrete set of policies that details how agricultural engineering should be pursued and applied.

Adoption of machinery pools as farmers’ access to agricultural production machinery
Machines are too costly for the small farmers to afford. Moreover, because of small landholdings, the individual ownership of motorized machines is not viable. Through pooling machineries through cooperatives and custom-hire arrangements with private entrepreneurs, it would be easier for the farmers to access the machines that they need provided that their farms are integrated. These schemes are being implemented successfully in countries with small landholding such as Japan, Korea, and Taiwan.

Establishment of rural-based processing plants for generating employment,
livelihood and additional income to farmers
The reduction of postharvest losses through primary processing is viewed as ways to increase a farmer’s income at the same time generate employment and livelihood in the rural sector. These is possible through local adoptation or development of processing machines and facilities.

Joint-venture arrangements for the local manufacture of critical machines and machine parts. Through this approach, foreign manufacturers and local manufacturers can set up joint venture arrangements to set up manufacturing and assembly plants in the county.

RDE agenda and programs

When the Agriculture and Fisheries Modernization Act (AFMA) or the Republic Act No. 8435 was proposed, it was aimed to take immediate actions that will pursue the modernization of agriculture and fisheries sectors of the country to enhance their profitability and prepare the said sectors for globalization. As a part of the agriculture and fisheries sector, the development and promotion of appropriate agricultural machinery and other agricultural mechanization technologies to enhance agricultural mechanization in the countryside was given emphasis.
Developed breakthrough technologies in agricultural engineering through Research and Development (R&D)
Source: Agricultural Engineering RDE Agenda and Program

Consequently, the Department of Agriculture (DA) implemented the National Agri-Fishery Mechanization Program (AgFiMech) and created the National Agri-Fishery Mechanization Program Committee (CAFMech), which is the central link for coordinated planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of all agricultural engineering programs, projects and activities of DA.

To be able to achieve the desired industry situation for agricultural engineering, the following were identified to be the main agenda for agricultural engineering as stipulated in the Agricultural Engineering RDE Agenda:

1. Strengthen the Agricultural Engineering RDE Network to tap the active participation of research institutions and the private sector;
2. Conduct benchmark and needs surveys, policy and feasibility studies, and impact evaluation of the Mechanization Plan;
3. Adapt available matured technologies from developed/developing countries to the country’s own institutions/industry;
4. Develop medium- to large-scale and energy-efficient technologies for machinery pools and village-level processing plants;
5. Develop technical standards to help ensure the quality of agricultural engineering technologies;
6. Pilot and package agricultural engineering technologies;
7. Conduct training on agricultural engineering technologies for engineers, technicians, extension workers and farmers; and
8. Establish a centralized information service for agricultural engineering statistics and development.

The Ag Eng RDE Agenda and Programs was developed to promote appropriate agricultural engineering technologies in the countryside for enhancing agricultural productivity and agro-industrial development.

The RDE program, in general, is geared to provide accurate and timely information in support of the Agricultural Engineering Development Plan, to make available appropriate agricultural engineering technologies for the production and processing of farm products and by-products, and to develop trained manpower for the generation, manufacture and utilization of agricultural engineering technologies. end

Written by: Ellaine Grace L. Nagpala
Sources:
National Agricultural Engineering Research, Development and Extension Agenda
National Agricultural Engineering Research, Development and Extension Program
Maranan, Celerina L. Comparative Evaluation of Tractor and Carabao Use in Rice Land Preparation. Journal of Philippine Development. 1980.
<http://dirp4.pids.gov.ph/ris/pjd/pidsjpd85-1tractor.pdf>
Status of Agricultural Mechanization in the Philippines. Agricultural Machinery.

Reference: www.bar.gov.ph

The MBRLC was conceptualized in the mid-1960s but then implemented and officially opened on September 8, 1971. The originator and founder, Mr. Harold Ray Watson, along with his wife (Elizabeth Joyce) and three sons, lived at the center in Kinuskusan, Bansalan, Davao del Sur. Initial money for establishment was given by the Foreign Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention (USA) a donation by Maxie Jarman, a US-based shoemaker and manufacturer.

A plot of 10 hectares (which has since grown to 19 hectares) was purchased. The land included underdeveloped lowlands as well as impoverished and denuded hillsides. Watson named the site the MBRLC and began in earnest an animal production program for small farmers.

In 1977, Dr. Warlito A. Laquihon and his wife, Ellen, joined the staff as Associate Director to Mr. Watson. Dr. Laquihon helped form and implement the PEDAL (Plan for Extension, Development and Leadership) program and proposed the acronym REDEEM (Research, Extension, Development, Education, Evangelism and Mission) as the center’s focus for future strategy and development.

In 1978, an agricultural extension program was implemented. In 1979, the first of many Baptist Outside Of School Training (BOOST) programs was initiated in Kinuskusan. It was a program launched to help the young people of the Philippines become responsible and model citizens in the rural areas. 1979 also saw the launching of the first issue of The Baptist Farmer, a quarterly publication dealing with farming problems in the southern Philippines.

In response to and working with local farmers, Mr. Watson, Dr. Laquihon and Mr. Rodrigo Calixtro helped develop a technology for farming the uplands known as the Sloping Agricultural Land Technology (SALT) in 1978. Due to the huge national and regional interest in SALT, a formal training program was launched in1 980 to help in the spread of the technology in the uplands. Subsequently, other SALT versions were developed (SALT 1, SALT2, SALT 3, and SALT 4) and by the mid-1980s, over 1,000 people per year, local and international, were coming to the MBRLC for training.

Today, the MBRLC has developed into a 19-ha demonstration farm with seven satellite projects throughout Mindanao. It now has a staff of over 120 people with a good deal of those being involved in local village development programs. Over 20,000 visitors come to the MBRLC per year with about 2,000 of those being one-week trainees per year. Moreover, through linkages with international organizations such as the Asian Rural Life Development Foundation (ARLDF), the MBRLC now has ties to projects in over 12 Asian countries, primarily promoting sustainable development for the uplands utilizing agriculture, health care, literacy, and community organizing, among others.

Website: http://mozcom.com/~mbrlc/

Small farms, big income

What’s good about the new hybrid varieties of vegetables and other crops is that even smallholder farmers can produce big income from their small farms.

Just like Danilo Catalan of Matanao, Davao del Sur. A 26-year-old agriculture graduate who decided to till their small farm, he is making good income from tomatoes and ampalaya. Last season, he planted the hybrid Diamante tomato on less than 1,000 square meters of land. He and his father Orsisino are so happy, they were able to gross more than P70,000 in three months of culture. And they were able to a buy a brand new motorcycle worth more than P60,000. It’s the talk of the town, and the good thing about it is that other small scale farmers are also getting interested in planting hybrid seeds because even on small farms they can produce a big harvest.

Vegetable field in Benguet province, Philippines

This time,Danilo planted Galaxy ampalaya on the same plot. He is enjoying a good harvest today, picking fruits every four days which sell at P18 to P20 per kilo. Last July 2, he harvested 175 kilos which fetched P20 per kilo. He started harvesting only last June 10 and has already earned more than what he had spent to put up the crop. He expects to harvest much more.

Another small-scale farmer is Wendel Comaingking of Bansalan, Davao del Sur. He, too, loves to plant hybrid vegetables because they yield high and also fetch a good price.

Wendel’s choice is the Big C cucumber, a hybrid from East-West Seed Company. He has his own good reason for choosing cucumber. The cost of production, he says, is not as much as other vegetables. A can of 2,200 seeds costs only R650 and he just plants 870 plants in the plot that he plants at a time. He staggers his planting at different places so he has harvests most times of the year.

Another advantage of cucumber is that it bears fruit starting at 35 days from planting, and harvesting is every other day. Although the price is only P8 per kilo at farmgate, it is still profitable to grow.

Other small-scale farmers grow other hybrid seeds. These include Suprema squash, Django finger pepper, Improved Majesty sweet pepper, Bonito and Galaxy ampalaya, Morena and Banate King eggplant, sitao and many others.

Written by By Zac B. Sarian

Source: www.mb.com.ph