Soil health workshop offers farmers tips to boost productivity

To empower farmers with the importance of soil nourishment and productive crop yields, agricultural sectors from Region VI convened at the Department of Agriculture – Bureau of Soils and Water Management (BSWM) Workshop on Soil Fertility Treatment Localization and Location-specific Cropping Pattern and Calendar on July 30, 2024 -to August 2, 2024 in Iloilo City. Representatives from the provinces of Aklan, Antique, Capiz, Guimaras, Negros Occidental, and Iloilo attended the workshop, aiming to enhance production within Region VI.

During the workshop, Zarlina B. Cuello, Regional Technical Director of DA-Western Visayas, emphasized the importance of collaboration among agricultural agencies. She underscored the importance of gaining inputs from various sources to benefit farmers nationwide. Dosary CJ Y. Dela Cruz, Project Assistant III of the Dynamic Analysis Section, introduced the Soil Survey Division and highlighted its role in soil testing for monitoring soil health across various crops. Meanwhile, Engr. John Dave E. Pacariem, Agriculturist II of the Pedosphere Dynamic Analysis Section, provided an overview of the soil status and resources in the Philippines, shared statistics on the nutrient content of different soils across provinces, and presented methods for interpreting soil reports.

Sandy B. Abiad, Senior Pedosphere Dynamic Analysis Section’s Senior Agriculturist, discussed soil collection protocols for fertility assessment, providing practical guidelines for effective soil sampling across different soil types. Aurora M. Manalang, Supervising Agriculturist of the Soil Microbiology Section, introduced the BSWM-Laboratory Services Division, particularly its vision, services, and standards, ensuring easier access to soil analysis services.

Mary Joy Gumangan, Science Research Specialist I of the Rapid Soil Test Section, tackled the importance of soil testing and introduced sample soil test kits. Participants had the opportunity to experience rapid soil testing kits firsthand and were impressed by how quickly their samples reacted with specific components.

In a continued effort, DA-BSWM strives to promote soil awareness and effective crop patterns among farmers to optimize production and yield.###VNOQuimpo/DA RAFIS 6 & AAcanto/WVSU Journalism Student Intern