(Wizard of Oz image[2] from pngfind.com)
Today in the Philippines, The Wizard of Oz is influencing us still, this time in our agriculture, would you believe? The film is based on Frank L Baum’s 1900 children’s fantasy novel, The Wonderful Wizard Of Oz. The whole fantastic story happened in Kansas.
Today we have the Kansas State University, KSA, as the Witch’s Castle, where we can find The Wizard of Oz, who is now teaching us what we think we already know: Agriculture!
A research professor at the KSA who happens to be Filipino, Manny Reyes, in partnership with the United States Agency for International Development, USAID, has introduced at the Central Philippines State University, CPSU, in Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental, Conservation Farming. This is a product of the initiative of CPSU President Aladino Moraca. (“Aladino” – shades of Aladdin & his wonderful lamp!)
Mr Moraca explains:
(Conservation farming) is done through three components – minimum soil disturbance (permanent no till), permanent organic soil cover, and diversification of species in rotation, sequence or associations.
Permanent no cultivation –
Do not plow, ever, Mr Moraca says. Constant plowing disturbs the soil and rubs it of its natural elements and compounds. “It is like stripping off the soil’s clothes, resulting in depletion” of matter and substance.
Permanent organic soil cover –
Mulching is a natural way to fertilize the soil by encouraging the growth of microorganisms that produce the rich soil. In the beginning, mulching eliminates the weeds. Mr Moraca says to “add (crop) residue to cover the soil regularly.”
Permanent diversification of species –
“And don’t practice monocropping,” Mr Moraca says. Instead, diversify the species of crops grown. To maximize productivity, different crops are planted in the farm. Also, legumes help condition the soil with nitrogen.
Conservation farming– All in all, you conserve soil moisture, conserve soil fertility, and conserve the necessary mix of crops for your farming.
Mr Moraca says:
This is the sure-win formula to solve the economic dilemma that our country is facing today. This farming system ensures stable supply of farm produce to answer issues on food security, especially on rice sufficiency, at the same time guarantee(s) sustainable livelihood for our marginalized farmers.
Sure-win formula? Conservation farming is low-cost farming, which helps farmers tremendously.
Stable supply of farm produce? Conservation farming is non-stop farming and therefore ensures food security.
Sustainable livelihood? Since conservation farming increases the fertility of the soil, increases the productivity of the crops, and decreases cost of production, the farmers are sure to earn much each harvest time. And since the high fertility of the soil is maintained all the time, there is always high productivity – leading to high net incomes. And all that continues as long as conservation farming is practiced by the farmers.
Let us then give thanks to the USAID!@517
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