Thursday, March 13, 2008 Benguet soil to undergo fertility analysis
THE Benguet Provincial Government has forged a pact with the Department of Agriculture (DA) to conduct soil analyses in the province's agricultural areas, which is seen to help government come up with programs that would address the concern on deteriorating soil quality.
Governor Nestor Fongwan said the project will be a great help to the agriculture industry as this will guide agricultural planners and farmers on the appropriate methods of managing the farmlands.
The undertaking, which will last for three months, will be spearheaded by the Bureau of Soils, an attached agency of the DA. It has a funding allocation of P986,730 on counterpart sharing between the province, the DA regional office and Bureau of Soils.
Fongwan said the project could also pave the way for the establishment of soil clinics in strategic places in the province. Six municipalities, covering 110,000 hectares of land in the province, are piloted for the project.
Under the memorandum of agreement signed by the Provincial Government, the DA and the Bureau of Soils, the former will conduct a detailed soil fertility of the agricultural areas and prepare fertilizer requirements and recommendations to the agricultural planners, technicians and farmers.
It will also assist local technicians in the soil fertility analysis and produce soils fertility maps after release of the laboratory analysis.
The DA regional office and the Provincial Government, meanwhile, will assist the Bureau of Soils by providing personnel to help and other equipment, which will be used in the project.
While admitting majority of the soils in Benguet are highly acidic, Fongwan said there is no cause for alarm because these lands could still be repaired.
The governor said the high acidity of the soils in most farmlands makes vegetables prone to diseases.
Soil sampling has been started in the municipality of Tublay last Wednesday. (JC)
