Agriculture.ph Blog

Cutting trees is not bad?

Cutting trees is not really a bad thing. That’s what our friend Dave Deppner, the founder of Trees for the Future, says. Trees, he said, are an important resource for everyone on earth. What is bad is when people cut trees but do not replant them. Trees are cut for many reasons. Valuable wood is needed in construction, furniture making and so many other uses. Wood, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization is the major source of cooking fuel for over half of the world.

For more than 25 years, Trees for the Future, a non-government organization, has been planting trees in more than 50 countries and has been responsible for establishing no less than 90 million trees. What the NGO has been planting are a wide range of multi-purpose fast-growing trees. These include species for timber, fuel wood, forage, erosion control, etc.

What they don’t plant are eucalyptus and pine trees which don’t make for sustainable land management for the long term. Eucalyptus trees are fast growing in a wide range of elevations, soils and climatic conditions. While they produce fuelwood and timber for many uses, eucalyptus do not lend themselves to sustainable land management systems.

Dave cites many communities in Central America, the Caribbean, Africa and Asia which are suffering from the long-term damage caused by invasive eucalyptus plantings. The roots are so widespreading, they absorb most of the moisture at the expense of other vegetation. Eucalyptus trees inhibit the growth of other vegetation, exposing soils to erosion, and causing lakes and ground water to disappear with their aggressive roots.

Pine trees, on the other hand, do have some benefits, but like eucalyptus trees, they do not lend themselves to sustainable land management. Pine trees can leave soils in much worse condition than when they were first planted. The blanket of pine needles make the soil acidic and they are a great fuel for forest fires.

Deppner says that in their program at Trees for the Future, they encourage communities to plant multipurpose fast growing trees that not only produce useful products within a short time but also encourage the growth of field crops, vegetables, and other vegetation around them.

Written by Zac Sarian

Source: Manila Bulletin

A novel tree planting scheme

Our long time friend Dave DeppnA novel tree planting schemeer always has an interesting story to tell whenever he comes to the Philippines and gives us a visit. Dave was a former Peace Corps volunteer in the Philippines, got a wife from Pangasinan, and then put up Trees for the Future, an NGO which is promoting planting of trees, both forest and not forest, for sustainable agriculture development in no less than 65 countries now.

When we met him last week, he was excited to tell us about the very successful tree planting scheme in Ethiopia. In 2005, he sold the idea to the Ethiopian Airlines that the company sponsor a tree planting project in that country.

He proposed that his organization will do the planting for the company. Under the scheme, Ethiopian Airlines sponsors the planting of one tree for every passenger it carries at a cost of only 10 US cents per tree. The airline was also excited about the novel idea and since then has been supporting the project. According to Dave, no less than 7.5 million trees have been planted so far under the project.

Under the program, they plant a wide range of trees. The only tree they don’t plant is eucalyptus which Dave says is bad for the environment. It depletes the soil moisture and kills other vegetation around. They plant trees that are sources of food, fuel wood, livestock feed, organic fertilizer and construction material.

He says that they are also planting a lot of malunggay in Ethiopia. They have a variety with short pods but bigger leaves than those in the Philippines.

Globally, Trees for the Future has planted so far no less than 90 million trees in 65 countries in the last 20 years.

Written by Zac Sarian

Source: Manila Bulletin

RP urged to conserve native medicinal plants

THE Philippines should undertake initiatives to conserve native medicinal plants amid the increasing global trade in herbals now estimated at $120 billion.

In a statement released by the Philippine Exporters Confederation Inc., BiomartAsia-Philippines noted that the increasing demand for local medicinal plants could result in over-harvesting.

“Recognizing that our medicinal plants are so important, we must protect them, especially the endemic plants. The commercial demand for local medicinal plants may cause over harvesting from the wild,” said Gina Mangalindan  of BiomartAsia-Philippines.

Biomart, a firm specializing in herbal skin-care products, makes use of locally grown natural herbs known for their unique properties.

Mangalindan said the creation of a Medicinal Plant Working Group, which may include representatives from industry, government, academia, tribes and environmental organizations is needed. Its goal should be to create a framework action on behalf of medicinal plants.

She said the group must raise awareness of native medicinal plant issues and needs among partner agencies and cooperating organizations to also promote the sustainable production of native medicinal plant products.

Mangalindan said those who want to go into the medicinal plant industry could also take note of a number of trends that include the rising demand for certified “organic” raw material and value-added products such as teas, soaps, juices, cosmetics and extracts.

“The health food sector is also increasing, so natural alternatives to artificial flavors, sugar and salt are being looked at,” she said.

Mangalindan said the global herbal market comprises pharmaceuticals, spices and herbs and cosmetics.

The global market today is mainly divided among Germany (28 percent), Asia (19 percent), Japan (17 percent), France (13 percent), rest of Europe (12 percent) and North America (11 percent).

The major suppliers of crude medicinal products to European markets are China, United States, Germany, Singapore, India, Chile, Egypt, Albania, Bulgaria, Morocco, Mexico and Pakistan.

Written by Jennifer A. Ng

Source: Business Mirror

Ayala Land incorporates bamboo planting in P10-B Nuvali development

The humble bamboo is getting a lift at Philippines’ first large-scale, ecology-friendly residential and central business district development in Nuvali, Sta. Rosa, Laguna where Ayala Land will pour in a P10 billion-investment.

A total of 100,000 trees will be planted at Nuvali which will mainly use tree species that are endemic to this once sugarcane field of the Yulos.

And bamboos, native to the Philippine soil, will take center stage in this real estate development as it is a specie that can help reverse the effects of climate change.

“We’re planting bamboo trees which contributes 10 times more oxygen than normal trees. A bamboo tree can last 100 years and is self-generating. Once you harvest it, it grows again,” said Ayala Land Inc. Vice President and Nuvali General Manager Aniceto V. Bisnar Jr. to reporters on field tour.

Already P2.5 billion has been invested in Nuvali since 2007. Over the next five years, 460 hectares will be developed.

The bamboo tree may have been ignored in the country, but its economic benefit is definitely immense.

“It can generate a lot of income for Filipinos specially in the barangays. Aside from the wood for constructing houses and for furniture, there are many products from bamboo – the sticks for barbecue, the chopsticks in restaurants. Unfortunately, we are importing these from other countries, said Bisnar.

“It produces very useful products. It’s even used for food. The bamboo shoot can be used as a vegetable salad or as food for people in the barangay. Just like the coconut, I consider it a miracle tree. And if we encourage its propagation, it can generate income and employment.”

Ayala Land is investing an estimated P10 billion for Nuvali which is a vast development spanning 1,700 hectares. From the present development of residential sites, Nuvali will be host to a central business district conceived to become the “next Makati.”

A total of 46 hectares has been designated as a PEZA (Philippine Economic Zone Authority)-registered zone. Locators will benefit from tax incentives.

The Nuvali development uses a low-intensity land design which involves balancing of open and built spaces at a 50-50 percent rate. This aligns with “green” guidelines benchmarked by the US Green Building Council LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) standards.

The guidelines involve best practices in water conservation and reuse, energy efficiency, and waste management.

Water conservation is practiced through recycling; mandatory double-piping that enables water reuse where potable or drinking water is not a necessity; storm water management; bio-swales; and permeable surfacing such as rammed earth pavers and porous concrete pavers in pedestrian lanes and parking areas to recharge the natural underground water supply.

It has a four-hectare man-made lake that serves as a rainwater harvester which continuously recharges the water table.

On solid waste management, it will reduce Nuvali’s estimated landfill input through a waste segregation and material recovery facility.

Nuvali also has a 17-kilometer buffer area that has a wildlife and bird sanctuary. This area, home to 75 faunal species and 55 flora species, is developed in partnership with Haribon Foundation.

In waste water management, Ayala Land partners with also Ayala-owned Manila Water which runs the Laguna water system.

“We’re partnering with Manila Water which plans to modernize the water system and sewerage system in other towns in Laguna so that people can enjoy the environment without hurting it,” said Bisnar.

Miracle tree can produce fuel

THE country’s bid for the production of alternative fuel resources can be addressed by an indigenous tree, which is abundant in some parts of the Cordillera Region.

A non-government organization (NGO) based in La Trinidad, Benguet is paving the way for the mass propagation of the petroleum nut, a tree whose fruits is a good source of biofuel.

Michael Bengwayan, director of Pine Tree, an NGO that develops and implements sustainable conservation and safe livelihood practices, said about 30,000 petroleum nut seedlings have been produced and are ready for distribution.

Pine Tree initiated the mass propagation of the petroleum nut to benefit farmers and help address the global problem on climate change through the production of alternative fuel resources.

The fruit of the petroleum nut, he said, has an octane rating of 54, which is higher than that of India’s jatropha, one of the crops eyed by government as source of alternative fuel. Octane rating is the measure of how much the fuel can be compressed before it spontaneously ignites.

The oil produced by the petroleum nut fruits is intended for lighting and cooking purposes. When mixed with kerosene on a 3:1 ratio, 20 centiliter of the petroleum nut oil could burn for three to four hours.

A study done by the Forest Research Institute of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), petroleum nut oil contains 46 percent of gasoline-type components such as heptane (45 percent) and dihydroterpene.

Bengwayan said one petroleum nut tree could yield 15 kilograms of fruits, which could produce up to 80 cubic centiliters of oil.

Reforestation crop

What is good in petroleum nut, Bengwayan said, is that it also addresses the problem on deforestation.

Because of the fruits’ potential to produce oil, people would plant more of the tree species to produce more oil.

Farmers are being trained to grow the plant. Bengwayan said 23 farmers from the towns of Kapangan and Kibungan were trained to propagate the tree.

“Petroleum nut could be grown with other crops, so farmers need not convert the mountains to grow the tree. By planting the petroleum nut, one could grow his own energy needs,” he said.

Pine Tree maintains a nursery at Longlong, La Trinidad where petroleum nut seedlings were first mass propagated after years of researches on how to produce seedlings on a massive basis.

In 2005, Bengwayan’s group discovered wood ash can remove the gummy substance coating the seeds, which prevents these from germinating.

It was also during this time they found out the dormancy period of the petroleum nut seeds is long. It takes two and a half months for the seeds to sprout.

Petroleum nut grows abundantly in Benguet and in the borders of Mt. Province, Ifugao and Nueva Vizcaya area. The tree is called apisang, abkel in Benguet; dael, dingo in Mt. Province and sagaga in Abra.

Seed banking

Since the tree is endemic only to limited areas in the country, Pine Tree is encouraging farmers to also learn to store the petroleum nut seeds.

“Seed banking is important. This will be one of the ways the indigenous peoples in the region could protect the plant from biopiracy,” Bengwayan said.

One of the reasons farmers are being encouraged and are trained to grow the plant is to prevent other nationalities from patenting the tree.

Seed banking will ensure the continuous existence of the tree in the region’s mountains.

The tree bears fruits after four years.

The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (Cites) was advised in 2006 to include the species of petroleum nut on the list of protected species as these are rapidly disappearing.

Written By Jane Cadalig

Source: Sun Star

BAMBOO is known as the world’s tallest grass. But recently, it has received a new name, “the grass of hope.” More and more people around the world are now beginning to see bamboo in a different perspective.

Although bamboo has been part of their art and culture, it was only recently that Chinese leaders took the plant seriously and is now building a massive bamboo industry.

The Philippines is following suit. “Bamboo has proven to be vital resources in terms of their contribution to the national economy and ecological stability of the country,” Environment Secretary Lito Atienza was quoted as saying.

A master plan for the development of bamboo as a renewable and sustainable resource showed that there are 39,000 to 52,000 hectares of bamboo stands in forest lands, government plantation, privately owned plantations and natural stands all over the country. “I think during the 1930s, we have around 200,000 hectares of bamboo plantations,” revealed Romualdo Sta. Ana, president of the Philippine Bamboo Foundation.

All over the globe, there are 91 genera and about 1,000 species of bamboo, generally known as kawayan in the Philippines. “We have seven or eight commercial species that are massively grown in Iloilo, Davao, Bukidnon and some parts of Luzon,” informed Sta. Ana.

Bamboo is the most diverse group of plants in the grass family, and the most primitive sub-family. It is distinguished by a woody culm, complex branching, a generally robust rhizome system and infrequent flowering.

“Bamboo is not a weed, it’s a flowering plant. Bamboo is a magnificent plant,” commented Steve Lacy. Thomas Edison supposedly used a carbonized bamboo filament in his experiments in developing the light bulb. Alexander Graham Bell also used bamboo for his first phonograph needle. “You can eat, wear, and build with bamboo,” said Michael Block.

In terms of exports, the bamboo’s potential remains in the areas of furniture and handicrafts, whose global market grows at an average of US$8 billion annually. “We’re not talking here of raw bamboo for export, but finished products made from bamboo. From roots to tip, you can make soap, medicines, cosmetics, furniture, bricks, clothing, paper, floor tiles, wall panels, drinks, vegetables — even surf boards from bamboo,” said Trade Undersecretary Merly Cruz.

Why is there a sudden craze for bamboo these days? “Bamboo is seen as a green product and a renewable resource in the developing world — more and more buyers are taking a closer look at bamboo as raw material,” Cruz added.

The exports of bamboo furniture in the Philippines rose from US$625,000 to US$1.2 million in the mid-80s until the mid-90s. Both bamboo furniture and handicrafts racked up US$438 million from 1991 to 2000. Total exports of bamboo furniture in 2000 were recorded at only US$3.2 million.

Bamboo, once considered the poor man’s timber, is now a fast growing industry and the Philippines stands to benefit from it if more people understood what the stakes are, said noted Filipino architect Francisco Bobby Maosa, whose bamboo designs include the Coconut Palace.

Next in line are bamboo shoots (new bamboo culms that come out of the ground), which have been traditionally used as vegetable food in China, Japan, Korea, and in many other Asian countries. Some of the most popular species of bamboo used for food are “kawayan tinik” (Bambusa blumeana), “bayog” (Dendrocalamus merrillianus), “bolo” (Gigantochloa levis), giant bamboo (Dendrocalamus asper), and “kayali” (Gigantochloa atter). Just a health warning: shoots of some species contain toxins that need to be leached or boiled out before they can be eaten safely.

“With the increasing awareness on the many health attributes and recipes one can make out of bamboo shoots, it is now gaining popularity within the broader population and in the global market,” reports Nimfa K. Torreta of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST). “There is also a worldwide interest on bamboo shoots because of the growing population of Asian ethnic origin around the world who have particular preference and taste for Asian food.”

Bamboo shoot has a huge potential for market. Export of bamboo shoot from Thailand in 1994 was pegged at US$29.50 million. Japan has a steady market of 250 tons per month, while Australia imports 6,000 to 12,000 tons of canned bamboo shoots annually.

There’s more to bamboo than just furniture and food. Its role in the construction field is equally substantial. Hundreds of millions of people live in houses made from bamboo. In Bangladesh, where 73 percent of the population lives in bamboo houses, bamboo provides pillars, walls, window frames, rafters, room separators, ceilings and roofs. In Costa Rica, building with bamboo withstood earthquake which buildings with other materials were unable to.

Throughout rural Asia it is used for building bridges, from the sophisticated technology of suspension bridges to the simpler pontoon bridges. Bamboo scaffoldings employed on the high rise structures of Tokyo and Hong Kong. Building with bamboo in Costa Rica withstood earthquake which buildings with other materials were unable to.

Bamboo is also used for musical instruments of all three types: percussion or hammer instruments, wind instruments, and stringed instruments. The Bamboo Organ of Las Pias has pipes made of bamboo culms. In Java, Indonesia, 20 different musical instruments have been fashioned of bamboo.

Capitalizing on this current trend and without much effort and capital needed, bamboo production could be a very promising livelihood opportunity for Filipinos. There is a lot of future in bamboo, said Sta. Ana. However, it is not as appreciated yet in the country.

If you are looking for bamboo planting materials, please contact the Mindanao Baptist Rural Life Center (MBRLC) Foundation Inc. You can email them at this address: mbrlc@mozcom.com. You can also call them at 064-533-2378.

Written by: Henrylito D. Tacio

Source: www.sunstar.com.ph

Using bamboo shoots for food is nothing new to many people, especially for Asians. Many countries in Southeast Asia like the Philippines are natural homes for bamboo.  Bamboo shoots have been traditionally used as vegetable food in China, Japan, Korea, and in many other Asian countries.

Bamboo shoots are considered traditional food in the rural areas of the Philippines, but these are not as popular as in the neighboring countries. However, with the increasing awareness on the many health attributes and recipes one can make out of bamboo shoots, it is now gaining popularity within the broader population and in the global market. There is also a worldwide interest on bamboo shoots because of the growing population of Asian ethnic origin around the world who have particular preference and taste for Asian food.

Capitalizing on this current trend and without much effort and capital needed, bamboo shoot production could be a very promising livelihood opportunity, especially in countries like the Philippines where bamboos grow in abundance. Bamboos can be extensively grown in a wide range of habitats, from lowland to mountain forests in both dry and humid tropics, even on wastelands, swamps and dry or regularly flooded river banks. It can even be an export earner if cultivated and processed on a commercial scale.

In the Philippines, most of the commercial bamboo species that are grown primarily for pole production are also being harvested for edible shoots. Some of the most popular species of bamboo used for food are kawayan tinik (Bambusa blumeana), bayog (Bambusa sp.1. formerly Dendrocalamus merrillianus), bolo (Gigantochloa levis), giant bamboo (Dendrocalamus asper), kayali (Gigantochloa atter), and Machiku (Dendrocalamus latiflorus).

The various research and development works on bamboo supported by PCARRD have resulted in a package of technology (POT) for kawayan tinik pole and shoot production. Below is the summarized POT for the combined bamboo shoot and pole production (kawayan tinik):

1. Select suitable plantation site with well-drained soil. Flat land with well-drained soil is preferable.
2. Prepare the plantation site.
3. Outplant at the onset of the rainy season for higher survival. Employ a 7m x 7m spacing.
4. Fertilize each propagule with 200-300 g of complete fertilizer.
5. Plantation maintenance: Replace dead propagules; water regularly; weed, and protect. Mark every culm as soon as it emerges from the ground to monitor the culm age.
6. Harvesting of shoots – 25% of the shoots during the first half of the shooting period may be harvested; 75% of the shoots are allowed to grow into poles.  All the shoots that emerge during the last half of the shooting period may be harvested because their survival to poles is very low.
7. Harvesting of poles – During harvest time (dry season or summer time), harvest only 3-year-old and older poles. It is important to mark the emerging shoots at the start to determine the age of the culms to be harvested.
8. Clump productivity should be regularly improved or maintained to sustain shoot/culm yields. This could be attained through regular cleaning, mulching, and fertilization.

With the application of this POT, a 1-ha, 275- bamboo seedling plantation would be a profitable investment requiring an initial capital of P92,254. Income is realized on the first year of harvest (year 5), while the total initial capital is fully recovered in the following year (year 6).

Written by Nimfa K. Torreta, S&T Media Service

Source: www.pcarrd.dost.gov.ph

One cannot ignore the economic and aesthetic value of bamboo as a landscape ornamental.  Elegantly beautiful, many bamboo species could be profitable when grown in the ground or in containers for both indoor and outdoor landscapes.

Not all bamboo species are easily adaptable to this usage but a great many are.  The clump type of bamboos is ideally suited for ornamental purposes.  These species spread very slowly and easy to keep within bounds.

The clump type could be planted and spaced according to one’s goal:  closer together for a wall or windbreak; farther apart for a private screen; or as a single clump to accent a garden.

Several bamboos are excellent ornaments for any kind of landscaping.  Although most species have green leaves and green culms, there are species with colored culms or variegated leaves.  Whichever it is, bamboo always excludes a graceful beauty and brings a bright warmth to the garden.  Each species has its own characteristics that set it apart from other plants.

Recognizing bamboos’ economic potential as landscape ornamentals, PCARRD, in its new publication entitled “Profitability Analysis: Ornamental Bamboo Backyard Production,” showed how   an   ornamental   bamboo backyard production could be a good investment option for small and medium entrepreneurs.

Planting 20-mother plants of Thyrsostachys siamensis (pole bamboo) would require a relatively small initial capital of P24,210.  Income could be realized during the first year of operation, while the total initial capital can be fully recovered in three years.

The estimated internal rate of return of this agribusiness enterprise based on ten-year cash flow projection stands at 38%, while the net present value at 19% discount rate is P21,466.24.

In coming up with this profitability analysis, the following summarized package of technology has been used for pole bamboo as an ornamental plant:

1.   Initial establishment of mother clumps for macroproliferation (First clump division).

* Source mother clumps/planting stocks with healthy and well developed buds and freshly separated from the mother clump.
* Pot the planting stock in polyethylene bags (11 in x 22 in) with a mixture of 50% garden soil.
* Place the potted planting stocks under partial shade for at least a month to produce new shoots and roots.
* Water the potted planting stocks twice a day or as needed to keep them from drying out.
* Outplant the rooted planting stocks and wait for at least six months until 2-3 shoots come out of the mother culm.

2.   Second clump division (Macroproliferation technique)

* On the seventh month when there are already 2-3 shoots in the outplanted mother culm, dig out the new culms (with the attached rhizomes/roots) leaving behind the mother culm to produce another set of shoots in another six months.  Carefully separate the new set of culms (second generation).
* In separating the newly developed culms, it is important to gently cut the rhizome at its neck without damaging the rhizomes using a sharp bolo or cutting saw.
* Clump separation should best be done before the start of the period of active bud growth and when the weather is cooler.
* Divide the mother clump when all the leaves (especially from the newly emerged/young culms) are fully open and expanded.
* In every stage of clump division, the mother clump is always retained for further series of shoot/culm separation (macroproliferation).

3.   Planting stock production for disposal and/or continuing macroproliferation (third clump division and so on)

* Before potting the separated offsets, prune the branches to assure higher growth and survival.
* Group the separated culms into two and pot these into 11 in x 22 in polyethylene bags filled mixture of 50% sawdust and 50% garden soil.
* Keep the newly separated and potted culms in a partially shaded place or nursery for one month for acclimatization.
* Water the potted planting stocks twice a day or as needed.
* After a month, the potted planting stocks are already available for disposal/sale.
* Undisposed potted planting stocks may be outplanted for additional mother clumps for a continuing macroproliferation.

This package of technology has been tested and proven to be an economically feasible investment.

Written by Nimfa K. Torreta, S&T Media Service

Source: www.pcarrd.dost.gov.ph

Are you familiar with the local material used in novelty items such as placemats, baskets, flowerpot holders, and the like? The local material commonly used is rattan. However, according to PCARRD, the supply of rattan has been decreasing.

“Bamban” (Donax cannaeformis) is one of the substitutes for rattan. This material is found to be acceptable in the handicraft industry. It even lends an “antique” look to its finished products.

Just like rattan, bamban is also decreasing because of the increasing demand for it and the unavailability of plantations to support this demand.

Along this concern, a study was conducted to determine the best planting method for this raw material. Findings of the said study showed that bamban could be planted as seeds, wildlings, and rootstocks. However, wildlings were found to survive better than rootstocks.

The study also showed that macerated seeds of bamban germinate faster than the nonmacerated seeds. Being macerated means the outer pulp (of the seed or fruit) is removed before drying under the sun.

The study was done by growing 100 bamban wildlings and rootstocks in a nursery and observing them for 120 days. Meanwhile, macerated seeds and nonmacerated seeds were also grown.

Bamban is not only known for its commercial value. It’s reported that the fleshy portion of the fruit can be eaten raw. Moreover, the stem is used by indigenous people, the Abyans, to scare snakes like ‘tagbak.’ In addition, the juice from its crushed roots is used to cure ‘an-an’ and other fungi.

Written by Paula Bianca Z. Ferrer, S&T Media Service

WHERE in the world can you find a farming system where trees and crops are planted together?

After corn, beans are planted

At the Mindanao Baptist Rural Life Center (MBRLC) Foundation Inc., a non-government organization (NGO) based in Kinuskusan, Bansalan, Davao del Sur.

Here, you can find a small-scale reforestation program — about two hectares — called Sustainable Agroforest Land Technology or Salt 3.

“Farmers can plant one hectare to different trees and another hectare to various crops,” explained Roy C. Alimoane, the center’s new director. “The crops provide income for the farmer and his family while waiting for the trees to grow.”

Salt 3 is the center’s answer to the rapid disappearance of the country’s forest cover. Of its total forestland area of 15.88 million hectares, only 5.4 million hectares are covered with forests and fewer than a million hectares are left with old growth forests.

Rattan grown under Samanea  Saman

As a result, the country’s croplands are fast deteriorating. Soil erosion is between 60 and 65 percent. “Land stress in the very near future will be a very problem in that the population density is greater than even that of China,” said Harold R. Watson, when he was still the MBRLC director.

Watson is an American agriculturist who came to the Philippines in the 1960s. At that time, he told Filipinos to take care of their forests. Their usual reply was: “We’re never going to run out of trees!” Now, the Philippines is devoid of its forest cover.

Actually, Salt 3 is the third variant of the Salt systems, which the MBRLC is noted for. For encouraging international utilization of the one-hectare Salt 1 (Sloping Agricultural Land Technology) model, Watson received the prestigious Ramon Magsaysay Award for peace and international understanding in 1985.

Salt 2 (Simple Agro-Livestock Technology) is the integration of goats into the Salt system. Designed for only half a hectare, 12 does are raised together in one house situated in the middle of the farm with one buck living in an adjacent shed (this is done so that when milking is done, the milk won’t have that “goaty smell”).

In Salt 3, one-hectare is developed for various agricultural crops. Following the Salt 1 system, different nitrogen-fixing trees and shrubs (like the local “ipil-ipil” and “kakawate” and introduced species such as Flemingia macrophylla, Desmodium rensonii, and Indigofera anil) are planted in double rows, following their natural contour.

“The principle of Salt is the same as that used by the Ifugao tribes in Mountain Province,” Alimoane explained. “All we are doing is using various nitrogen fixing trees and shrubs instead of rocks.”

When the rows of vegetation are 1.5 to 2 meters tall, they are cut back to about 40 centimeters and the tops are piled in the 3-5 meter alleys where crops are growing. “The leaves of the shrubs make very good nitrogen-rich fertilizer and also add organic matter of the soil,” Alimoane pointed out.

In the Salt scheme, you find a mix of permanent crops, cereals and vegetables. Every third strip of available land is normally devoted to permanent crops like cacao and coffee. A combination of various cereals (corn, upland rice, and sorghum) and vegetables (string beans, cucumber, squash, etc.) are planted on the remaining two strips of land.

MBRLC recommends crop rotation. For instance, those strips planted with cereals earlier are planted with peanuts or winged beans in the next cropping. “Crop rotation helps to preserve the regenerative properties of the soil and avoid the problems of infertility typical of traditional agricultural practices,” Alimoane said.

Multistory cropping may also be practiced (planting black pepper, corn, and lanzones together in one hedge). In waterlogged areas, gabi, kangkong and other water-loving crops are planted. “We all do these to make use of all the available spaces of the farm,” Alimoane said.

“Some of the crops should be planted to feed the farmer’s family, while other crops are grown for sale, so family income is well spread out over the season,” said Alimoane. “Every week or every month, there’s always something to harvest. The system can, in fact, raise the family income threefold.”

However, MBRLC encourages that only one hectare is planted to crops. This is where the farmer will concentrate more as years go by. However, the upper portion of the farm is planted to different trees, which are native to the area.

Alimoane talked about “tree time zones” of 1-5, 6-10, 11-15 and 16-20 years, within which progressively more valuable products are harvested. Some very valuable trees could be left longer, and he dubs this “the grandchild project – plant something for your grandchildren.”

Among the tree species planted in the Salt 3 model farm are bamboo, Sesbania sesban, “ipil-ipil,” Acacia auriculiformis and A. mangium, Swietenia macrophylla, Pterocarpus indicus (more popularly known as narra), and Samanea saman (rattan is planted below it). Some of these are planted basically for fuelwood while others are for furniture purposes.

For further details about Salt 3 or other MBRLC technologies, send them an email at this address: mbrlc@mozcom.com. You can also call them at this number: 064-533-2378.

By: Henrylito D. Tacio

Source: sunstar.com.ph