Monday, July 09, 2007 Multi-crop prod’n to be launched in Kalinga
AN INTEGRATED farming system, which promotes multi-crop production, would be launched in Kalinga.
Provincial Agriculturist Gerry Jose said it is drawn from the farming technology of integrating production of rice, corn, vegetables, poultry, fish and other livestock to augment the income of farmers.
The technology provides additional income opportunities for farmers, instead of the traditional sole farming system, where only one product like rice or corn is concentrated, Jose added.
As a new system, the program would still be piloted in certain barangays by trained farmers before massive introduction is made.
Prior to the launching, the Department of Agriculture (DA) would train 20 farmer-leaders, 16 municipal agriculture technicians and four staff from the Provincial Agriculturist Office.
The program uses the leader-to-farmer concept of the DA, where projects are first modeled by farmer-leaders so it could influence other farmers later on.
“We take advantage of the working philosophy of farmers on a ‘wait and see’, so when they see a project profitable that's the time they will adapt it,” Jose said.
Acceptance of the new program won't be difficult, Jose said, as similar programs are already on the way like the gulayan para sa masa, where production of livestock, vegetables and fish are integrated.
Jose assured that funds for the program are ready and that necessary support shall be provided by their office.
This is part of government's advocacy to eradicate poverty by creating more livelihood opportunities especially among farmers in the countryside, he added.
