10 years ago, rice harvests in the Philippines yielded an average of 3.5 tons
per hectare, whereas today we only harvest 3. This only showed that the efforts
by the government to improve the living conditions and production of farmers
(through the Green Revolution Program), was a total failure. The program encouraged
farmers to intensify the use of imported chemical based fertilizers and pesticides
which as it turned out damaged the environment and decreased the quality of
farm products.
10 years have passed and still the country suffers from the scarcity of rice.
In a recent announcement, the government is planning to import 700,000 metric
tons (the most) of rice this year should production remain low. Rice as the
food security crop not only in the Philippines but in the whole Asian Region,
should be one of the governments major concerns.
The Technical Assistance Center for the Development of Rural and Urban Poor-Sustainable
Integrated Area Development (TACDRUP-SIAD) Program has integrated its Nature
Farming Technology System (NFTS) with an age-old Asian technique of planting
that was further enhanced in Madagascar. The technology was applied to modern
rice inbreeds through the technique they now call S.R.I.
This technology only requires 7 to 10 kilos of rice seeds per hectare as compared
with the existing planting practice that requires 60 to 80 kilos. These 7 to
10 kilos of rice seeds must be prepared in a seedbed area of 350 square meters
to produce robust and vigorous seedlings. The seedlings should be planted after
8 to 10 days upon sowing and should be planted at 1 plant per hill, giving it
the opportunity to produce more tillers and panicles. NFTS inputs, such as Indigenous
Microorganisms (IMO) and the use of fermented indigenous materials are to be
applied from the start of the seed preparation until pre-harvesting.
In a trial conducted by TACDRUP in Brgy. Bangkal, Matanao, Davao del Sur, with
the IR-74 variety, the NFTS technological integration resulted to a 7 ton per
hectare harvest, breaking the previous 5 ton per hectare record with NFTS and
traditional planting practices applied. Unlike the common 7-Tonner (IR-64) which
is chemically laden, this new 7-Tonner by TACDRUP is absolutely chemical free
and does not require high cost in production.
Unbelievably, only P1,412.00 (excluding labor) was spent for the 1 hectare farm
area. This being treated with NFTS only means that it does not only give safety
to the consumer but also to the environment as well. Through this breakthrough,
farmers will have to think twice about using chemical based fertilizers and
pesticides. TACDRUP is hoping that this technology should be enough to address
the issue of food security in the country and empower our farmers to be globally
competitive in the upcoming GATT era. - Dean I. Ortiz