The Need To Standardize
Organic Fertilizer
by Ambrosio R. Villorente
One of the proposed agriculture extension projects I like is the "Organic Fertilizer Produce and Use In Palayamanan". This project was presented during the ASU 2008 University Extension Program In-House Review held this week in ASU Conference Hall, Banga, Aklan.
Prof. Paterno I. Rebuelta presented the proposal to the panel. According to him, his co-workers in the project will be Prof. Carmenchita M. Tumaca, Prof. Eleuterio B. Guarino, Dr. Clyde G. Abayon, Dr. Ana Mae C. Relingo, Prof. Margie Y. Sumanga and Mr. Andy P. Eston.
The organic fertilizer project will be located in Malinao, Lezo, Batan, Madalag and Balete, all in Aklan with the cooperation of Philippine Rice Research Institute (Philrice). The fund of P620,150 will come from the LGUs mentioned above, Philrice and ASU. This amount will be spent for three years as follows: first year, P336,150; second, P244,000; and third, P40,000.00.
The project aims to promote production and use of organic fertilizer for sustainable farming. Specifically, it will gather baseline data and document information gathered; enhance the knowledge and skills of members of partners in the production, utilization and marketing of organic fertilizer; evaluate nutrient content analysis and evaluate organic fertilizer products of partners; and provide technical and material support for the development of production, commercialization and marketing of produced organic fertilizer.
Going over the said proposal, prof. Rebuelta will conduct baseline survey, organize and enhance capability of partners, and provide technical and material supports. He will go into the production, processing, marketing and utilizing compost. Monitoring and evaluation of the success of the project will be provided. To assure continuity of the project, prof. Rebuelta recommends for the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement on the material and technical supports provided to the participating people’s organizations between and among the ASU and LGUs concerned.
Prof. Rebuelta included in his proposal alternative, processes of organic fertilizer production. Procedure for its process is provided and list of probable local materials to be used in compost making is given.
Why Produce
Organic Fertilizer?
To an entrepreneurial farmer who has a complete knowledge of an organic fertilizer, this project will easily get support. Prof. Rebuelta will deal with five (5) local government executives and their respective staff members must be ready to provide the rationale of the production and use of organic fertilizer. He has no problem with the ASU and Philrice for these are institutions advocating the use of organic fertilizer in food production. But he needs to convince the LGU officials.
For example, the project needs P620,150 budget for three years of which P205,000 or 35 percent will come from the LGUs. However, Prof. Rebuelta has not provided in his proposal any projected income. The vogue now among LGUs is economic enterprise. What will LGUs get in return if it invested P205,000 for the project?
If LGU invested on a certain project, it expects a return of its investment plus reasonable profit. Prof. Rebuelta must convince the municipal mayors concerned that the funds invested will be recovered with profit.
For those who are now producing and utilizing organic fertilizer, the proposal will be beautiful, excellent. However, to expand it to produce product for the market will be a 45 degree mountain climb.
The proposal speaks of "Marketing Strategies". A producer of organic fertilizer will be "assisted in terms of providing opportunities...to participate in exhibits, in conducting farm demonstration and field day, and opportunities to expand distribution and market centers for display product for sale". These are fine. But can it be done in three years?
Since the government through the Department of Agriculture has been advocating the use of fertilizer, it has not put up a soils laboratory to analyze nutrients content in the soil in order to know the appropriate plant nutrients needed and quantity to be applied in the soil.
Farmers have been applying fertilizers to their farms based on the following: 1. the quantity they can afford to buy; 2. on the general recommendation of the technologist; 3. on what quantity and nutrients content their fellow farmers apply; 4. on what they heard from the radio; and 5. on what they read from the newspapers.
Will laboratory facilities be made available to the organic fertilizer producers so that their products can be branded and patented so that producers can comply with all the marketing laws, rules and regulations? Any commodity like organic fertilizer must comply and maintain certain required standard.
Nutrient contents in fertilizer like nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium are volatile that require strict packaging. This is not included in the proposal.
And these laboratories necessary to get data to support product branding, patenting and registration are neither available in Aklan nor in Iloilo City.
Meanwhile, what Prof Rebuelta may do is for the production of organic fertilizer for home consumption. The project can be expanded as fast as government or private sector can put up facilities needed in the analysis of the nutrient contents of materials use in production and its organic fertilizer produced.
Akleco Loss: P72.6 M
On the June 21, Akelco lost a total of P72.6 million due to typhoon Frank. According to the Engineering Department report, some 600 electric posts were toppled down, 25,000 electric meters were either damaged or lost and 60 units of transformers were also damaged and therefore changed. Electric wires valued at around P1 million were also installed.
In a report gathered from "Kahayag" the official publication of Akelco, power lines were restored with the help of "Task Force Kapatid" composed of OR-MECO, NORMECO, LANECO, MORESCO I and II, CENECO, VRESCO, MOELCI I & II, FIBECO, BUSECO, ANTECO and ILECO I. Without their help, it would have taken about three months to restore electric power in Aklan, admitted Akelco.
National Electrification Administration (NEA) also extended P25 million loan for Akelco rehabilitation.
In spite of the damage due to the typhoon Frank, NEA awarded Akelco the Highest Amortization Payment and Best Collection Efficiency. These awards, according to Akelco Gen. Manager Chito R. Peralta, will enable Akelco to avail a higher credit line from material suppliers and banks.
The report did not say if the plaques are accompanied with cash award. /MP
Prof. Paterno I. Rebuelta presented the proposal to the panel. According to him, his co-workers in the project will be Prof. Carmenchita M. Tumaca, Prof. Eleuterio B. Guarino, Dr. Clyde G. Abayon, Dr. Ana Mae C. Relingo, Prof. Margie Y. Sumanga and Mr. Andy P. Eston.
The organic fertilizer project will be located in Malinao, Lezo, Batan, Madalag and Balete, all in Aklan with the cooperation of Philippine Rice Research Institute (Philrice). The fund of P620,150 will come from the LGUs mentioned above, Philrice and ASU. This amount will be spent for three years as follows: first year, P336,150; second, P244,000; and third, P40,000.00.
The project aims to promote production and use of organic fertilizer for sustainable farming. Specifically, it will gather baseline data and document information gathered; enhance the knowledge and skills of members of partners in the production, utilization and marketing of organic fertilizer; evaluate nutrient content analysis and evaluate organic fertilizer products of partners; and provide technical and material support for the development of production, commercialization and marketing of produced organic fertilizer.
Going over the said proposal, prof. Rebuelta will conduct baseline survey, organize and enhance capability of partners, and provide technical and material supports. He will go into the production, processing, marketing and utilizing compost. Monitoring and evaluation of the success of the project will be provided. To assure continuity of the project, prof. Rebuelta recommends for the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement on the material and technical supports provided to the participating people’s organizations between and among the ASU and LGUs concerned.
Prof. Rebuelta included in his proposal alternative, processes of organic fertilizer production. Procedure for its process is provided and list of probable local materials to be used in compost making is given.
Why Produce
Organic Fertilizer?
To an entrepreneurial farmer who has a complete knowledge of an organic fertilizer, this project will easily get support. Prof. Rebuelta will deal with five (5) local government executives and their respective staff members must be ready to provide the rationale of the production and use of organic fertilizer. He has no problem with the ASU and Philrice for these are institutions advocating the use of organic fertilizer in food production. But he needs to convince the LGU officials.
For example, the project needs P620,150 budget for three years of which P205,000 or 35 percent will come from the LGUs. However, Prof. Rebuelta has not provided in his proposal any projected income. The vogue now among LGUs is economic enterprise. What will LGUs get in return if it invested P205,000 for the project?
If LGU invested on a certain project, it expects a return of its investment plus reasonable profit. Prof. Rebuelta must convince the municipal mayors concerned that the funds invested will be recovered with profit.
For those who are now producing and utilizing organic fertilizer, the proposal will be beautiful, excellent. However, to expand it to produce product for the market will be a 45 degree mountain climb.
The proposal speaks of "Marketing Strategies". A producer of organic fertilizer will be "assisted in terms of providing opportunities...to participate in exhibits, in conducting farm demonstration and field day, and opportunities to expand distribution and market centers for display product for sale". These are fine. But can it be done in three years?
Since the government through the Department of Agriculture has been advocating the use of fertilizer, it has not put up a soils laboratory to analyze nutrients content in the soil in order to know the appropriate plant nutrients needed and quantity to be applied in the soil.
Farmers have been applying fertilizers to their farms based on the following: 1. the quantity they can afford to buy; 2. on the general recommendation of the technologist; 3. on what quantity and nutrients content their fellow farmers apply; 4. on what they heard from the radio; and 5. on what they read from the newspapers.
Will laboratory facilities be made available to the organic fertilizer producers so that their products can be branded and patented so that producers can comply with all the marketing laws, rules and regulations? Any commodity like organic fertilizer must comply and maintain certain required standard.
Nutrient contents in fertilizer like nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium are volatile that require strict packaging. This is not included in the proposal.
And these laboratories necessary to get data to support product branding, patenting and registration are neither available in Aklan nor in Iloilo City.
Meanwhile, what Prof Rebuelta may do is for the production of organic fertilizer for home consumption. The project can be expanded as fast as government or private sector can put up facilities needed in the analysis of the nutrient contents of materials use in production and its organic fertilizer produced.
Akleco Loss: P72.6 M
On the June 21, Akelco lost a total of P72.6 million due to typhoon Frank. According to the Engineering Department report, some 600 electric posts were toppled down, 25,000 electric meters were either damaged or lost and 60 units of transformers were also damaged and therefore changed. Electric wires valued at around P1 million were also installed.
In a report gathered from "Kahayag" the official publication of Akelco, power lines were restored with the help of "Task Force Kapatid" composed of OR-MECO, NORMECO, LANECO, MORESCO I and II, CENECO, VRESCO, MOELCI I & II, FIBECO, BUSECO, ANTECO and ILECO I. Without their help, it would have taken about three months to restore electric power in Aklan, admitted Akelco.
National Electrification Administration (NEA) also extended P25 million loan for Akelco rehabilitation.
In spite of the damage due to the typhoon Frank, NEA awarded Akelco the Highest Amortization Payment and Best Collection Efficiency. These awards, according to Akelco Gen. Manager Chito R. Peralta, will enable Akelco to avail a higher credit line from material suppliers and banks.
The report did not say if the plaques are accompanied with cash award. /MP
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