OCCIDENTAL MINDORO, November 28, 2021 – The Department of Agriculture – Special Area for Agricultural Development (DA-SAAD) Program in partnership with the Municipal Agriculture Office (MAO) of Magsaysay conducted follow-up training on Organic Foliar Fertilizer (OFF) Production in Brgy. Poblacion, Magsaysay to encourage its production in the area.

Using foliar fertilization helps for quick absorption of nutrients addressing nutrient deficiencies, reduction in the amount of fertilizer needed as compared to soil application and in the amount of fertilizer wasted, efficient uptake of water, and stimulation of nutrients in the soil.

OFF is a type of nutrient fertilizer sprayed directly to the plant leaves working their way down the roots which stimulate root development. It can also increase uptake of nutrients from the soil by encouraging plants to take up more water, in addition to providing immediate benefits for a plant that may be suffering from a deficiency.

The Organic Foliar Fertilizer Production Project is funded by DA-SAAD Program with Php 499,550 allocated budget in FY 2019.

Twelve (12) members from Calawag Foliar Fertilizer Farmers Association (CFFFA) participated in the training. The association aims to mass-produce OFF as an enterprise.

Bryan V. Rosete, Agricultural Technologist from the Municipal Agricultural Office, led the discussion on the benefits, materials, preparation, and steps on making compost tea, fermented plant juice, fermented fruit juice, fish amino acid (FAA), and other organic foliar fertilizers.

The beneficiaries previously attended training on organic foliar fertilizer production initiated by MAO and the program on September 17, 2020, in Brgy. Calawag where an actual demonstration on OFF production was made.

The members of the group reported a positive effect of OFF usage on their crops which increased their interest in its production.

“Simula noong unang pagsasanay namin sa paggawa ng organic fertilizer, nagsimula na akong gumamit ng organikong pataba para sa mga tanim kong talong, sitaw, at okra. Naikumpara ko ang aking tanim na ginamitan ng OFF sa wala. Dinadapuan ng peste ang mga tanim kong hindi ginamitan ng organikong pataba,” shared Jaime delos Santos, chairperson of the CFF FA.

(Since our last training on organic fertilizer production, I started using organic fertilizer for my eggplant, string beans, and okra. I compared the results with my crops with OFF to my crops without. Our crops without OFF were pestered with insects and pests.)

“Gumamit ako ng organikong pataba na nagawa namin noong nakaraang pagsasanay sa aking sibuyas at mas mapula at mas maganda ang kalidad ng sibuyas na aming naani (I used the organic fertilizer that we made last training for my onions and the color became richer and the quality of our harvest improved),” added Today Masangkay, CFF FA member.

Gillermo Grondiano, member of CFF FA noticed that the quality of their land gets affected by continuous use of chemical fertilizer.

“Nakakasira ng lupa ang paggamit ng kemikal na pataba. Napapansin namin ‘yan sa aming lupa. Bumababa ang ani namin kapag hindi kami nagdadagdag ng kemikal na pataba kada taon kaya mas mainam ang organikong pataba para mabawasan ang pagkasira ng lupa namin (We noticed that using chemical fertilizers damages our land. Our yield decreases if we do not increase our chemical fertilizer inputs every year, that is why we prefer using organic fertilizers to avoid further damage to our lands).”

As part of the Organic Foliar Fertilizer Production project, Php 100,000 was transferred to the LGU for the provision of materials. A total of 600 kilograms of molasses, five weighing scales, 10 bolos, 10 chopping boards, 100 plastic bottles, 13 plastic drums, 15 plastic pails, and 10 meters (m) of hose were awarded to the beneficiaries at the conclusion of the training.

A 9x6m facility in Brgy. Calawag was also built for the association in 2020 for the production and storage of OFF. The construction was originally scheduled earlier, but strict health protocols delayed its completion to a later date.

The MAO assured the beneficiaries that they will receive support for establishing market connections once the group is able to achieve a steady production of OFF. The association is expected to start its production on October 11.

Magsaysay’s demo farm utilizes 0.7 hectares of land using organic inputs such as OFF. The demo farm was able to produce 50 sacks of rice with lower expenses compared to using chemical fertilizers. ###

Writer: Dianne Francis A. Sy, SAAD Information Officer I

Source: Vilmar J. Robes, SAAD Area Coordinator – Magsaysay, Jaime delos Santos, Chairman, CFF FA, Gillermo Grondiano, Teody Masangkay, member, CFF FA, Emily Tanedo, Agricultural Technologist and Farm Supervisor, M. Abello, 2018 – Liquid foliar fertilizer increases crop yield. https://www.agriculture.com.ph/2018/02/27/liquid-foliar-fertilizer-increases-crop-yield/