By Danilo P. Padua, PhD
I was not supposed to drive on a Wednesday within the city center of Baguio and in La Trinidad, especially the stretch from Km 3-Km 6 of the Baguio-Bontoc road.
But I had to meet somebody at the U.P. Baguio grounds. So I had to traverse a circuitous way to reach my destination at around 3 in the afternoon of May 29, starting from the Western link road, passing by the strawberry field. When I reached Leonard Wood road, near the crossroad going to Brent School, I was flagged down by one of the three or four policemen.
He told me that I was passing through a coding area. I gently protested of course, since I have been doing it several times before. The traffic policeman asked me where I was going, which I duly answered. He then let me go, and told me where I should pass.
Well, there are policemen who are sensible, after all.
o-o-o
The other week, a friend and I went to the office of DA Secretary, Tiu Laurel ,to discuss some important matters. I was pleasantly surprised on reaching the DA main office, to see an agri-fishery fair right at the first floor corridor of the DA Main building.
On display of course, are various agri-fishery products. It ended on Friday, May 31 since the whole month of May was declared as the Buwan ng magsasaka at mangingisda. I salute this move of the DA. I just wonder if this is a real effort to help the farmers and fisherfolks.
DA is now into the noble task of making agricultural production an environment-friendly process by using technologies such as biofertilizers, (or biostimulants for that matter). I think there will be something amiss in the implementation of a DA memorandum order where biofertilizers that did not even pass through proper evaluation by PHILRICE or the regional DA field units if given a thumbs up. Also, biostimulants (but are not considered biofertilizers) that have gone through the process, and are already proven very effective, are not being considered.
Take for example the following biostimulant (the product’s name is not being divulged for the meantime).
The product is an all-natural liquid biostimulant for soil organisms and plants that contains certain biological activators, which are by-products of a proprietary fermentation process. These active agents include vitamins, enzymes, and other powerful but gentle growth stimulators such as brassinosteroids, B-vitamins, triacontanol, and others. It does these things:
increase crop yields and profits; improve crop quality;reduce fertilizer nitrogen inputs; hasten germination and maturity; improve soil structure and infiltration
It represents a breakthrough to larger, more profitable crop yields, and healthier plants while promoting a more sustainable approach to agriculture. It promotes soil life by conforming with natural laws, by encouraging natural predators to control insect and nematode pests, by promoting more intensive biological nitrogen fixation, and by stimulating natural rhizosphere organisms to produce needed plant growth factors.
Besides improving the growth of plants, it also benefits soil characteristics. Soil structure may markedly improve over time because of: increased root growth, and thus more root channels; greater polysaccharide production by microbes to glue clay platelets together; improved mycorrhizal activity, creating sac-like structures and glomalin; greater earth worm activity, their burrows creating channels for air and water. Improvements in structure mean more cleavage planes to promote the ready exchange of air and water. Water infiltration is increased, and runoff and erosion are consequently decreased. Compaction is reduced so roots can freely explore the soil for nutrients and water, increasing yields.
The above were based on various trials/experiments here and abroad, done even by experts in universities.
The product had undergone the requisite testing by PHILRICE for two seasons on rice and it is one of the top performing products. In addition, the product was already used by farmers for at least two seasons, using both hybrid and inbred varieties, especially in the Cordillera region providing a yield increase of about 16% or more. Yet, the product may not be included among those to be purchased or distributed to farmers since it is classified as biostimulants by the fertilizer and pesticide authority. In this regard, the DA MO specifying only biofertilifers must be revisited immediately, and the necessary revision should be instituted.
By the way, we were not able to see the good Secretary as he was in an important meeting somewhere. But we were told that even if he were around, we could not still have an audience with him because we did not have a prior filled up request form for a meeting. An emailed request was not enough.
Take note of that almost unacceptable requirement for a meeting with the god at the DA. **
