Saturday, July 28, 2007 Mindanao losing 2-6 cm. topsoil annually: study By Carlo P. Mallo
MINDANAO is losing its topsoil at an alarming rate of over two to six centimeters a year.
Contrary to most presumptions, however, soil erosion in agricultural areas average only about 30 percent, while the remaining 70 percent happen in other areas, such as forested areas.
A study conducted by Strategic Research and Management Foundation Inc. of the University of the Philippines (UP) in Mindanao showed that at the rate of top soil erosion, it would take no more than 50 years for the entire top soil in the island to be gone.
One major factor attributing to soil erosion is the use of sloping lands as agricultural areas with traditional agricultural methods.
Gil Magsino, weed scientist of the UP Los Baños campus, said sloping land could still be used for agriculture. However, the tillers should never use traditional farming methods there.
"Contour farming and similar methods must be employed," Magsino said in Friday's Kapihan sa PIA at UP-Mindanao.
Moreover, what worsens soil erosion in sloped agricultural areas is the indiscriminate destruction of weeds in the farm lot. Weeds are believed to wreak havoc to the yields of the plant as they compete with the soil nutrients.
In their research study it was revealed that the presence of weeds in sloped agricultural areas would actually help in the prevention of soil erosion. "There must be enough weed to hold the soil, but there must only be enough that it would not compete with the crops," Magsino said.
He added that the careful use of herbicide, such as those being used in banana plantations would be very helpful in the prevention of soil erosion.
The research was conducted in the Davao Fruits Corporation banana plantation in Tugbok District in the city. Dr. Eufemio Rasco, a professor of UP Mindanao, spearheaded the research.
"It is the use of inappropriate farming methods, especially tilling, in the sloped agricultural areas that greatly contribute to soil erosion," Rasco added.
The research on land conservation, especially in sloped agricultural areas is set to be finished in two years.
