Training stakeholders to farm slopes and hills
The Integrated Farming for Upland Sustainable Agriculture (IFUSA) seminar and exposure trip.
The Rapu-Rapu Polymetallic Project (RRPP), through its Community Relations (ComRel) department, recently held a training seminar and an exposure trip (lakbay-aral) on Integrated Farming for Upland Sustainable Agriculture (IFUSA) for members of the General Parents Teachers Community Association (GPTCA) of Pagcolbon Elementary School, Brgy. Pagcolbon, Rapu-Rapu, Albay.
The seminar was held April 11-12, 2012 at the elementary school while the lakbay-aral followed right after on April 13-15 in selected model cooperative and farms in the provinces of Sorsogon, Camarines Sur and Albay.
The seminar on integrated upland farming taught and trained the seventeen participants, including school principal Josefina “Pining” Asuncion and GPTCA president Antonio Pulido, about the agricultural technology appropriate for the sloping and hilly terrain of Barangay Pagcolbon so that it can achieve higher and sustainable productivity.
During the two-day seminar, resource persons from the Albay Provincial Agricultural Services Office (APASO), namely senior provincial agriculturist Manolo Camu and senior horticulturist Myrna Agatona gave lectures, demos and hands-on training on the following topics: soil and water conservation techniques; management and cultural practices in vegetable production; nursery operation for vegetables, fruit-bearing and forest trees; composting, vermiculture and fertilizer application.
Greenhouse practitioner George Buenaagua shared his knowledge, demonstrated and gave hands-on training on the establishment of an orchard. More importantly, the trainors taught the participants what plants to farm in uplands and sloping terrain, and how to farm them.
The day after seminar, the participants immediately embarked on a boat trip to Bacon, Sorsogon to start their exposure tour. From there, the group boarded a comfortable air-conditioned bus, their service bus for the whole duration of the tour, enroute to their first destination, the Gubat Saint Anthony Cooperative (GSAC), a successful 48-year-old credit and savings cooperative with four existing branches, and a fifth one coming soon. The coop also has an agricultural center, a hostel and training facility, a diagnostic center, an ATM service facility, a service tie-up with Western Union, and a marketing arm. GSAC officer Leony Ferera gave the participants an orientation on running and managing a coop, which they will need if they will seriously pursue a group project in agricultural production.
From Gubat, Sorsogon, the group shuttled to the High Value Commercial Crop (HVCC) Farm of the Department of Agriculture-Albay in Barangay Buang, Tabaco City where seminar trainor Manolo Camu toured them around the farm. Their eyes feasted on all sorts of crops—broccoli, lettuce, red and white cabbage, eggplants, string beans, tomatoes, big and small peppers, melons, madre agua, different varieties of sweet potatoes (camote), coconuts for tuba production, rice and others. Camu gave them insights on raising these crops. Most were food crops while others doubled as medicinal plants. Some participants were happy to take home with them the shoots of different varieties of camote and one medicinal plant that purportedly fights cancer.
From Buang, the group proceeded to the Central Bicol State University of Agriculture (CBSUA, former CSSAC or Camarines Sur State Agricultural College) Hostel in Pili, Camarines Sur where they sojourned for the night.
On day two of the tour, the group visited the Pilipinas Shell Training Farm in Magarao, Camarines Sur. With project officers James Broma and Roger Borromeo orienting them, the group viewed the farm’s research and development area, the vermicompost shed, and the community seedling bank. They ate some melons grown at the farm and some bought newly harvested eggplant and pipino. “Pining” even asked for some earthworms.
After the Shell farm, the group went back to CBSUA for their final activity—to visit the university’s organic goat-raising, piggery and poultry projects. The group was so lucky because CBSUA vice-president for agricultural research Joel Batañez himself entertained them with his lecture about organic farming before they toured the university’s organic farm.
At the end of the trip, most of the participants said they were inspired and challenged to apply their learnings. On April 22, they will meet again to plan their group project.
“The knowledge we gained from the seminar and trip will surely be a big help in planning our group agricultural project,” said Jenny Bolaños, 24, resident of Pagcolbon. “After completing the activity, my optimism for progress in our barangay, even after the mine leaves, has been renewed. I believe that Pagcolbon can really be productive if we apply the sloping and upland farm technology,” she added.
Abs Penilla
THE SEMINAR
With Albay Provincial Agricultural Services Office (APASO) horticulturist Myrna Agatona (in red shirt) and greenhouse practitioner George Buenaagua (in yellow shirt).
APASO senior provincial agriculturist Manolo Camu lectures and demos on marcotting, grafting, budding, inarching, cutting and layering.
Hands-on training on using the A-frame to find a level ground line (contour line) across the slope.
THE EXPOSURE TRIP
First destination: the Gubat St. Anthony Cooperative in Gubat, Sorsogon.
The High Value Commercial Crop (HVCC) Farm of the Dept. Of Agriculture in Buang, Tabaco City
The Central Bicol State University of Agriculture (CBSUA) Training Center and Hostel in San Jose, Pili, Camarines Sur
The Pilipinas Shell Training Farm in Magarao, Camarines Sur
The organic farms of Central Bicol State University of Agriculture
Bonus trip: the Cam Sur Water Sports Complex (CWC).
