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[av_heading heading=’URBAN FARMER’ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=” subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=”]
BY JULIO P. YAP JR.
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Farming technologies
MOTIVATED by the farming technologies he saw during the Open House 2016 of Allied Botanical Corporation (ABC) in Tayug, Pangasinan, the former mayor of Infanta in Quezon province, Rodante G. Potes Sr., implemented an agricultural program in his hometown to benefit the local farmers.
An agriculturist by profession, Potes Sr. said they already have an agricultural program in place, however, he wanted to apply what he saw during the Open House 2016 in which different varieties of vegetables could grow well in the lowlands like Infanta, a town bounded by the Pacific Ocean.
The municipality of Infanta is also noted as the largest lambanog manufacturer in the province of Quezon.
While it has a land area of about 130 square kilometers, most of its agricultural lands are not so much productive, prompting the town to source most of its agricultural requirements from other municipalities and also from the nearby areas.
The situation prompted Potes to coordinate with the ABC for the implementation of a program where the local farmers will be trained under the different modules of modern farming technology which they could adopt in their respective farmlands.
Just several days after the Open House 2016, the “Aral Saka” was conceived where about 33 farmers coming from the different barangays participated in a 16-week training program that was conducted at a farm in Barangay Ilog in Infanta.
The initial program was implemented through the Municipal Agriculturist’s Office under Eda M. Mendoza in coordination with Rudy Dean, the Region 4b and 5 area sales manager of ABC, together with the participation of the Infanta Municipal Agricultural and Fishery Council.
The program was also supported enthusiastically by Infanta Mayor Filipina Grace R. America, and Vice Mayor Noli H. Villamor, who was formerly the chairperson of the Sangguniang Bayan Committee on Agriculture.
The farmer-participants came from the barangays of Ablawin, Dinahican, Pulo, Pilaway, Banugao, Poblacion 1, Catambungan, Cawaynin, Tudturan, Amolongin, Bacong, Ingas, Gumian Agos-Agos, Binulasan, Silangan, Tongohin, Miswa, Batican, Gumian, Ilog, Balobo, and Ingas.
They were trained on how to prepare the land for planting, sowing, caring for the seedlings, irrigating the field, proper care of the plants, up to harvesting of the crops.
Using Condor Seeds from the Allied Botanical Corporation, the farmer-trainees planted and cultivated different varieties of vegetables.
These include the different varieties of lettuce like the Tyrol (Romaine-Midi Cos), Green Wave (Batavia), Carlo Rossa (Standard Red), NRBL 2 (Triple Red), Grande (Iceberg), Green Frillice (Batavia), and Green Towers (Romaine-Large Cos) which are all very prolific.
They also planted the Negostar pole sitaw, WC Nutri Lyt+ waxy corn, Poseidon F1 hybrid ampalaya, Sunrise RFI Hybrid Cauliflower, Green Top F1 Hybrid Broccoli, Trident F1 Hybrid Ampalaya, Panigang Best F1 Hybrid Pepper, and the Clarabel F1 Hybrid Conical Pepper, among many others.
Seeing the success of the program, and the enthusiasm of the local farmers, Mayor America also vowed to continue the implementation of the “Aral Saka” in the hope of attaining its objective of providing the needed expertise to the farmer-participants./PN
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