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BY JULIO P. YAP JR.
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THERE is now a program which aims to address food security and improve the livelihood of farmers in southern Philippines and Australia.
It is a collaboration of the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development of Department of Science and Technology (PCAARRD-DOST) and the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR).
Because of this, at least 140 researchers, scientists, and private sector players recently participated in a final review meeting on the Horticulture Program on Fruits and Vegetables.
A product of a long-term partnership between PCAARRD and ACIAR, the program is expected to be completed in 2018.
It aims to optimize pest and disease management strategies and conduct studies on integrated crop management, soil and nutrient management, value chain improvement, and postharvest handling of selected fruits and vegetables.
The research team has addressed Phytophthora infection in jackfruit by testing six Artocarpus species for tolerance and/or resistance to the disease.
The species were also studied for graft compatibility with jackfruit. Results, however, are still subject for validation.
The research team has also addressed the issue on bacterial crown rot (BCR), which is said to be one of the most destructive diseases of papaya in southern Philippines.
They succeeded in identifying lines tolerant to BCR. Hybrids, which are tolerant not only to BCR but also to Papaya Ringspot Virus, were also developed by the team.
In another study, the program also identified barriers to the adoption of recommended management practices against Fusarium wilt (FW) infection in banana.
Barriers which include growers’ financial capability and the misconception that there is no effective way to control FW were corrected through information drives.
Cost-effective, safe, and environment- and people-friendly substitutes to commonly used and hazardous fungicides in controlling blossom blight, anthracnose, and stem-end rot in mango were also provided through the program.
More than 1,300 vegetable farmers had the opportunity to attend season-long trainings on Good Agricultural Practices with some of them receiving basic inputs like seeds, fertilizers, and seedling trays.
From the program, farmers were able to increase their profit by directly selling their goods to the consumers instead of passing through wholesalers or collectors.
The project team who explored value chains of selected vegetables and fruits discovered that there are supermarkets, Class A wholesalers, and concessionaires who are willing to buy directly from farmers.
A survey conducted under the program showed that vegetable farmers over-apply fertilizers to address low soil fertility.
Besides its adverse effect to the environment, over-applying fertilizers also affects the pockets of farmers.
This is one of the concerns that the program aims to address by teaching farmers the efficient and judicious use of fertilizers in order to potentially increase their profits, among many other methods.
The program will also be producing pest management practice guides for selected vegetables – tomato, eggplant, bitter gourd, sweet pepper, lettuce, pechay, and cabbage – along with factsheets for the nature of key pests and diseases.
These will be translated to local dialects to enhance dissemination and appreciation of recommended crop management practices. (jaypeeyap@ymail.com)/PN
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