Saturday, March 29, 2008 Pest management: best solution to increase organic produce
ONLY an integrated pest management approach can guarantee a high yield of organic vegetables.
But, while this approach has been introduced to vegetable farmers in La Trinidad, Municipal Agriculturist Felicitas Ticbaen said farmers cannot be compelled to use this method.
Aside from using organic fertilizers, the maintenance of an organic farm requires a tedious process. In terms of boundary, Ticbaen said a buffer zone of at least three meters from the next farm is required to assure that even the transfer of pollens from a non-organic to an organic farm does not happen.
Instead of using chemical pesticides, organic agriculturists recommended the integration of other insects that prey on pests found in vegetables.
About 54 farmers in La Trinidad produce organic vegetables compared to only 28 when their multi-purpose cooperative was organized in the last quarter of 2005.
Health experts promote the consumption of organic vegetables for their high nutritional content and for having the ability to boost the immune system by fighting certain diseases. (RO)
