Baynte dos ka mga mag-uuma ug agricultural technicains gikan sa nagkalain-lain nga munisipyo sa probinsya sa Surigao del Sur ang mikuyog sa duha ka adlaw nga Lakbay-Aral sa milabay nga Nobembre 10-11, 2010 didto sa Gingoog City ug Lagunglong, Misamis Oriental. Ang naasoy nga Lakbay-Aral, mahitungod sa Integrated Rice-Duck Technology. Ang Rice-Duck Technology, usa ka organikong pamaagi sa pagpanguma sa humay nga dili na mogamit og mga pestesidyo ug sintetiko nga mga abono. Sa naasoy nga teknolohiya, buhian ang mga pato sa umahan sa humay sa ensakto nga panahon aron kini makahatag og dako nga kaayohan. Ang mga pato, makatabang sa pagdumala sa mga sagbot sa umahan pinaagi sa pagkaon sa mga liso sa sagbot ug sa pagkaon ug pagtamak-tamak sa mga miturok na nga mga sagbot. Makatabang usab ang pato sa pagsumpo sa nagkalain-lain nga peste kon dangan sa umahan pinaagi sa pagkaon niini. Sa laing bahin, ang mga giod sa pato kusog makapalagsik sa tanum nga humay ug ang mga iti niini, maayo nga organikong abono sa atong umahan.
Four Peoples' Organizattions received a total of Php 1.5 M worth of livelihood projects during the MRDP2 CFAD Sub-project Launching Program for round 2 barangays in the municipality of Carmen, Surigao del Sur on November 11, 2010. The POs come from the barangays of Hinapoyan, Antao, and Cabakhawan.
Barangay Hinapoyan got a total of Php 750,000 for the POs of Hinapoyan MPC and Hinapoyan RIC. Their subprojects include Pre and Post Harvest facilities and Banana Production, respectively.
Barangay Antao also received Php 500,000 from MRDP for their pre and post harvest facilities for rice production to be handled by Antao PalayCheck Organization while Php 250,000 was given to the PO Cabakhawan CIDSS for their Organic Rice Production and Nipa Shingles projects.
Mayor Antonio T. Borda, Jr. stressed during the launching program that proper management and implementationh of the project is the key to make it successful. He also challenged the Municipal Agriculturist Office headed by MPMIU CFAD Head Jeremias Loayon to closely monitor the progress of the implementation relying on their expertise to handle foreign-assisted programs with similar projects. "Handling this kind of subprojects is not new to your office so I am confident of your expertise with the POs cooperation that these subprojects will be successfully implemented," said Borda, a two-termer local chief executive of Carmen.
SB Member Samuel C. Acilo, Agriculture Committee Chairman and a former Vice Mayor also challenged the POs to efficiently manage the subprojects and encouraged the barangay captains who were all present during the program to assist the POs in whatever way they can especially in the field of agriculture.
In response, the PO Presidents expressed their gratitude to the facilitators of the program from RPCO down to the barangay level for they could finally realize their dreams of having such kind of subprojects. Likewise, they also expressed assurance that they will adhere to the policies of MRDP2.
The PPMIU CFAD and IGR Heads, Mr. Von C. Falcon and Mr. Herman Deleña II, congratulated all the POs and encouraged them to fast-track their activities to beat the deadline set by RPCO to liquidate the fund so that a request for fund release for the 2nd tranche will be made the soonest possible time.(Von C. Falcon, PPMIU-CFAD Head, MRDP-Surigao del Sur)
Usa ka bag-ong sakit sa kanding ang hugot nga gibantayan sa mga personahe sa Provincial Veterinary Office nga gitawag og Caprine Athritis Encephalitis (CAE) Virus. Ang timailhan kon sintomas sa maong virus mao ang mga mosunod:
1. Paghubag sa mga luatan;
2. Pagluya sa lawas;
3. Walay gana sa pagkaon.
Nahibaloan sa Tandag FITS Center nga ang maong sakit sa kanding kusog makatakod sa lain pa nga mga kanding, ilabina gyod kung nagsuso pa kini. Ang maong virus wala pa gayod tambal ug bakuna nga nadiskobrehan hangtod sa pagkakaron. Ang tanan kanding nga matakdan sa maong virus angay na gayod pagapatyon dayon ug pagasunogon. Mao kini ang gibutyag ni Dr. Gervacio Yparraguirre, ang Provincial Veterinarian sa Probinsya sa Surigao del Sur. Dugang pa ni Dr. Yparraguirre, aduna na mga kanding ang nagpositibo sa Caprine Athritis Encephalitis Virus didto sa Munisipyo sa Tagbina.
Kalakbit niini, adunay nahitabo nga panagtigom sa tanan mga Provincial ug City Veterinarians sa tibook Caraga Region sa Tandag sa milabay nga Nobembre 9, 2010. Ang maong panagtigom, ubos sa Mindanao-Visayas Caprine Athritis Encephalitis Control Project (MinViCAECoP). Sa maong panagtigom, gibutyag ni Dr. Rafael T. Mercado, Coordinator, MinViCAECoP, ang mga pamaagi sa pag-ila sa maong virus ug unsaon pagcontrol niini. Nahibaloan usab sa Tandag FITS Center, nga aduna na mga checkpoint alang sa pagsumpo sa pagkaylap sa maong virus.
Mokabat sa Php 68.7 M nga irrigation project sa Marihatag ang na-aprubahan sa Mindanao Rural Development Program (MRDP) sa Department of Agriculture. Ang maong irrigation project makapatubig sa 645 ektarayas nga basakan sa mga barangay sa Mararag, Bayan, San Isidro, Arorogan ug Poblacion. Gibanabana nga adunay 583 ka mga mag-uuma ang makabenepisyo sa maong irrigation project ubos sa Marihatag-Mararag (MARIMAR) Irrigators' association.
Gipangulohan gayod ni Mayor Leo Navarro ug SB Member Richard Yu ang delegasyon sa Marihatag uban ang Municiapal Planning & Development Coordinator, Municipal Engineer, Municipal Agriculturist, Municipal Environment Officer ug si Engr Constancio Banaay, Jr. sa NIA sa pagpa-aprub sa maong proyekto didto sa Butuan City sa Nov. 8, 2010. Ang naasoy nga proyekto mao ang Completion of Marihatag-Mararag Communal Irrigation System.
Mahinumduman nga ang maong irrigation project dugay na gipangandoy sa mga lomolopyo sa Marihatag. Gisugdan kini sa tuig 1979 ug hangtod sa karon wala pa gayod kini makumpleto. Ubos sa MRDP, gilauman nga matapos na gayod ang naasoy nga proyekto aron makahatag kini og mas dakong abot sa mga mag-uuma sa Marihatag. Ubos sa naasoy nga irrigation project, gilauman nga mamahimo na gayud nga self-sufficient sa bugas ang Marihatag ug makasuplay pa kini sa lain pa nga mga munisipyo sa probisya sa Surigao del Sur.
Mokabat sa 87 ka mag-uuma ang malamposong nakatapos sa upat ka bulan nga pagbansay-bansay kon training sa Farmers' Field School nga naglangkob sa tulo ka barangay sa Bajao, Cabangahan ug Gamut sa munisipyo sa Tago. Ang naasoy nga training nagatudlo sa pagdumala sa humay ginamit ang mga pamaagi nga dili makadaut sa kinaiyahan.
Ang maong pagtapos sa sa mga mag-uuma sa Farmers' Field School nahitabo didto sa Barangay Hall sa Gamut, munisipyo sa Tago, adlaw sa Biyernes, petsa 5 sa Nobembre 2010. Gitangbungan kini sa mga haligi sa lungsod sa Tago nga sila Mayor Henrich Pimentel, Bise Mayor Alex Bautista, SB Member ug Chairman sa Committee on Agrriculture, Al Espinosa ug sa tulo ka mga kapitan sa naasoy nga mga barangay. Sa maong okasyon, si Provincial Agriculturist Marcos M. Quico, mihagit sa mga mag-uuma, alang sa malahutayong pagpanguma.
Ang Farmers' Field School usa ka makanunayong kalihokan sa buhatan sa Provincial Agriculturist nga inabagan sa Department of Agriculture-Caraga Region.
Sa Nobembre 12, 2010, adunay laing hugpong sa mga mag-uuma sa lungsod sa Carrascal ang malamposong makahuman sa maong kalihokan. Sumala kang Ms. Flor Pante, ang Provincial IPM Coordinator, aduna pay dugang 23 ka hugpong sa mga mag-uuma gikan sa nagkalainlain nga munisipyo sa probinsya sa Surigao del Sur ang kasamtangan nga nagbansay-bansay ubos sa Farmers' Field School.
In this digital age, the radio is still the primary source of information for the farmers and fisherfolks. Words like the internet, facebook and twitter are as alien as Mars and Venus.
Around 350,000 of the population of Surigao del Sur, are largely dependent on agriculture as a means of livelihood. Reaching out to them through the Farmers’ Information & Technology Services (FITS) Center is both a challenge and a logistical nightmare.
The Tandag FITS Center is housed at the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPAg),Tandag, the capital town, centrally situated in the province. Because of the long and elongated shape of Surigao del Sur, access to the Center is severely limited. It is expensive and takes a while for the farmers and fisherfolks to come to the center. Conversely, the personnel of the center are constrained by time and distance in bringing the center nearer to the people.
Because of these challenges, Mr. Esmeraldo S. Raymundo, FITS Center Information Services Specialist, decided to use radio as medium to popularize the goods and services offered by the center. As the Information Officer & Farmcaster of the OPAg, promotion of the Tandag FITS Center is being broadcasted through regular radio spots airing the program entitled, “Mag-Uuma, Paglaum Ta,”. Production technologies, market information and updates, innovative technologies and success stories are being aired every Saturday at 9:00-10:00 am at DXBB Sure FM. It is a local radio station dominating the airwaves of Surigao del Sur broadcasting 100 kW at 92.1 Mhz reaching the opposite tips of the province.
As a brief background, the province of Surigao del Sur started producing soybean commercially on 1980 firstly in San Miguel and later it expanded to Tago. A variety was introduced which was locally known as Paypay, but was discovered later that it was the Manchuria variety.
During those times, it was Nestle Philippines who used to buy the farmers’ produce. The average production per hectare was three (3) tons when planted during the months of March and April, and to be harvested on the months of July and August (early planters); and two (2) tons per hectare when planted during the months of May and June, and to be harvested on the months of September and October (late planters). The farmers used thirty (30) kilograms seeds for every hectare.The farmers, since their venture in soybeans, do not use fertilizer in their farming operations.These practices mentioned are still used by farmers up to the present (based on farmers’ interview).
There was a time when farmers slowed down their production of soybeans.It was during those years when Nestle Philippines suspended their procurement of soybeans in Surigao del Sur. It was Nestle Philippines who procured the bulk of soybeans in the province.
Land Preparation for commercial soybean production started with the use of the draft animal (carabao and plow); plowing the field two (2) to three (3) times depending on the soil type, each followed by harrowing.By middle of 1990’s, farm tractors arrived. Most of the farmers are now using farm tractors in their land preparation both for corn and soybeans.
Weed Control of the farmers was hand weeding and this is still the practice up to the present although some use selective herbicides.Harvesting was done manually with the use of bolos.
The old practice of the farmers was the manual threshing (the “hampas” system). Later, the multi-purpose thresher was used. The farmers popularly called it Grain master. Until now these are the types of thresher used in the locality.
During the 80’s, soybean farmers were heavy users of pesticides. But when the implementation of IPM-KASAKALIKASAN Program in the province was intensified on the year 1997, the farmers gradually adopted the concept of biological control.They slowly learned about the presence of species of natural enemies in their own fields.Although the program was focused on rice and corn some of the farmers were also planting soybeans. So they applied their knowledge in IPM in their soybean production.Pesticide usage was minimized.
Today, with the increasing demand of soybeans in the country, the farmers are again eager to increase their production areas to meet this demand.Local variety is still being used by the farmers since 1980.Marketing channels are local and transient buyers from neighboring provinces and other regions.
However, in coordination with the Institute of Plant Breeding (IPB) of UP-Los Baños, Laguna; variety trials were conducted in the province. New varieties such as PSB Sy 2 (Tiwala 6); PSB Sy 6 (Tiwala 8); PSB Sy 7 (Tiwala 10); NSIC Sy 9 and AGS 374 are being tested locally.Hopefully, there will be other promising varieties that the farmers can choose from aside from the locally grown soybeans.(FT Pante, Prov’l Soybean Coordinator)
Tandag FITS Center provides technology information in various multimedia formats; exhibit new technologies and products; offer internetservice and short message service (SMS); and provide FITS databases.
Technology services
ØTechnology Training/Workshop
ØTechnology Clinic
ØLinkage to Experts & Credit Conduits
ØTechnical Assistance & Consultancy
ØSupport to Enterprises Development
ØResource Linking & Facilitation
Tandag FITS Center conducts technology training and technology clinic; link clients to experts and financial institutions; provide technical assistance and consultancy; support enterprise development; facilitate linking clients with sources of planting materials, animal stocks, and agricultural inputs.
Kansilad Beach Resort, Lianga, Surigao del Sur - A total of 45 participants completed the 3-day Training of Trainers (TOT) on Agri-Pinoy Program conducted on October 26-28, 2010. Graduates from this training will compose the Municipal Training Teams for the different LGUs of the province of Surigao del Sur. Comprising of agricultural extension workers, information officers and teachers, the group listened to the different resource persons discuss topics on the framework and objectives of Agri-Pinoy, LIKASAKA-a natural way of farming, rice & corn seeds production technologies, seed banking, and Gulayan sa Paaralan using Natural Technology. Completing the course was a participatory discussion on how to become a good trainer, facilitated by ATI Caraga Director, Dr. Nenita Sumile. Agri-Pinoy was presented by Ms. Rebecca Atega, Head of DA-RAFID 13 & Regional Agri-Pinoy Focal Person, while LIKASAKA was discussed by Mr. Jimmy Geronimo, Executive Director of PAKISAMA, a NGO based in Caraga Region. Agri-Pinoy focuses on primary agricultural commodities anchored on a framework of sustainable agriculture using LIKASAKA. Topics ranging on how to make farming more profitable to farmers by producing their own seeds and organic fertilizers and increasing awareness and appreciation about agriculture among students were also presented by the Provincial Training Team from the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (see webbox at right onAgri-Pinoy for slide presentation). The municipal training teams formulated and presented their respective action plans for 2011 on how to bring about the Agri-Pinoy Program to the grassroots.
Newly appointed DA Caraga Regional Executive Director Reinerio Belarmino, Jr., Surigao del Sur Provincial Agriculturist Marcos M. Quico and Assistant PA Esmeraldo Odtohan graced the occasion.
Tandag FITS Center is connected to the internet. Farmers, fisherfolk, housewives, students, traders, entrepreneurs and researchers may avail of the free internet service for their information needs. The center also provides brochures, leaflets, and reference materials for crops, livestock, fishery, high-value commercial crops (HVCC) and a myriad of package of technologies (POTS) from sources such as IRRI, Philrice, DA, DOST-PCARRD, etc.
