Laser leveling technology for agriculture

Laser leveling technology for agriculture

Laser Levelling Technology being utilized in a farm

Agricultural producers must embrace revolutionary strategies to increase productivity, deliver cost-effective technologies, and ensure sustainable food supply.

The International Rice Research Institute, in cooperation with the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice), conducted a training on basic tractor operation, maintenance and implementation of laser-assisted land leveling.

This initiative is part of the work package output of the water-efficient and risk mitigation technologies for enhancing rice production in irrigated and rainfed environments or WateRice project.

The project aims to teach the  Department of Agriculture (DA) extension agents about basic operation, maintenance and troubleshooting of the laser leveling system, a farming technique that uses laser-assisted system and a drag bucket to make precise leveling of the field.

This technology makes farming efficient by reducing water requirement during land preparation and labor requirement during weeding operation. It also improves rice crop establishment, uniformity and maturity.

As part of the training, participants had a hands-on exercise on basic tractor operation and an orientation on conducting pre-maintenance checks to ensure the equipment’s proper and long-term functioning.

They were also taught how to perform a topographic survey on the field, which is an important step in the leveling process.

The activity’s highlight was an actual engagement in leveling operations. Participants were given the opportunity to familiarize themselves with laser leveling equipment, and were encouraged to raise questions regarding its use.

During the exchanges, participants learned valuable information about the technology such as the costs of laser leveling per field, the length of time it takes to laser level certain areas, and the best time of the season to conduct it.

 “Through the training, we were able to witness how laser leveling is done, and how useful it will be to the farmer,”  said Jerry Batcagan of Philrice Isabela.

For her part, Dianne Gabriel of WateRice  said: “This new technology will help women to easily participate in field work. Now, nobody can say girls can’t deal with machines.”

 “The WateRice project encounters problems during the dry season, such as water shortage and high cost of leveling. In other countries, technology is made available to small holder farmers through the private sector and service providers. We are happy that finally, we have the approval of the Department of Agriculture to acquire a laser leveling unit so we can start implementing the technique in our programs,” said Roger Barroga, head of PhilRice’s Information Systems Division.

The training was attended by 36 technicians and researchers from the DA’s field offices in Muñoz, Nueva Ecija; Isabela and Batac.

Source: http://beta.philstar.com/business/agriculture/2018/01/07/1775264/laser-leveling-technology-agriculture#s67rQihq4GHxkMmH.99

Thursday, January 11, 2018 Agriculture, Equipment, Technology-Others

Russian Technical Assistance to Help PH Agri

Russian Technical Assistance to Help PH Agri

Current PNRI Irradiation Facility

The Department of Science and Technology (DOST)  will get technical assistance from Russia with regards to increasing the number of irradiation facilities for agricultural use.

The assistance will come from the Russian government that will add more electronic beam facilities for use by fruit and vegetable exporters. This was disclosed by DOST Secretary Fortunato dela Peña.

This will considerably increase the capacity of the Philippine Nuclear Research Institute (PNRI) in handling the irradiation of agricultural products for export.

“We are short of capacity in terms of irradiating products particularly those for export. Today, we have to irradiate potato, mango… because this is a requirement of importing countries. We only have one facility in QC, in the PNRI compound. It’s running 24/7, and still cannot cope,” Dela Peña said. “So there is an urgent need to set up more facilities.”

Increased demand for Philippine vegetable and fruit exports has resulted in the demand of the irradiation facility that will improve shelf life and disinfect the fruits and vegetables to be exported.

Currently, there is only one facility of the PNRI that conducts such process and there is a backlog even though it is already operating at full capacity 24 hours and 7 days a week.

This will be undertaken via a local firm, A Brown Co. Inc. (ABCI), that has partnered with Rusatom Healthcare, a division of Russian State Atomic Energy Corp. Rosatom, to build a network of agro irradiation centers in the Philippines starting this 2018 to help improve the country’s agribusiness sector and its capacity.

Irradiation or electronic beams for agricultural products such as fruits and vegetables eliminate bacteria and germs, prevent the spread of pests, and delay or prevent ripening or spoiling during transit and storage. The process reduces the risk of food-borne illnesses and increases longevity and shelf life. The process does not make the produce radioactive and is considered safe.

Thursday, January 11, 2018 Agriculture, DA, DOST, Equipment, Technology, Technology-Others

Smart Manage your Poultry Farm

Smart Manage your Poultry Farm

The recent Avian Flu outbreak in Pampanga has brought the urgency to have better farm monitoring and management solutions. Technology together with traditional farm techniques must be brought together to gain further productivity and safety for both poultry and livestock and also with farm workers and owners.

In the Philippines, a Farm Management Solution was developed by a startup from the University of the Philippines. The system is called Farm Watch. 

Farm Watch features systems that include the following:

1. Essential Poultry Farm Monitoring System

2. Remote Monitoring

3. Emergency SMS Warnings and Critical Status Reports

4. Free Data Representation and Analysis Tools

5. Easy to Install and Configure System Operation

6. Has Back-up Power System

7. Modular, upgradeable and Extendable

It also has no need for farm-installed internet connection for remote monitoring since it is based on SMS updates and reports.

The system is composed of a wireless sensor hub, a remote hub and sensors installed in a standard 160m X 36m poultry building. There are six sensors installed in 1 building.

Farm Watch sensors monitor 3 critical aspects in a poultry building:

Environmental

1. Temperature

2. Relative Humidity

3. Carbon Dioxide levels 

4. Ammonia levels

Health and Consumption

1. Weight

2. Feeds

3. Water

Compliance

1. Fly Count

2. Hydrogen Sulfide levels

These will enable the farmers and workers to be given data critical to the above-mentioned aspects of a poultry farm.

Farm Watch contact numbers are (+632) 981-8500 local 3363

Farm Watch conducts free farm assessment. Farm Watch office is located at 3F NEC Building, UP Diliman, Quezon City

Sunday, August 13, 2017 Equipment, Farm Management, Poultry, Science and Technology, Startups

Impeller Ricemill to Improve Grains Recovery

Impeller Ricemill to Improve Grains Recovery

First prototype of commercial unit of impeller type rice mill

The type of ricemill being used in the countryside is vital towards achieving and sustaining the government’s food self-sufficiency program, a study shows. In more specific terms, the study also shows the relevance of the type of huller used by the ricemill on particular grains.

Majority of rice varieties produced in the country are “Indica” or long grains. The physical characteristics of long grain are appropriate for impeller type of ricemill. Unlike the rubber roll machine whose husked ratio performance very much depends on the size and shape of rough rice, the impeller type of huller, with almost the same performance, works for both long and short grain samples.

Experts explain that a ricemill is composed of the huller which removes the husk and the polisher which removes the rice bran. 

Hullers may be of three types, stone disk, rubber roll, and impeller. The stone disk huller is a standard component of the conventional “cono” rice mill. It consists of two circular discs laid flat one on top of the other with their grinding surfaces facing each other. The rubber roll huller consists of a pair of rubber rollers mounted on a horizontal shaft and designed so that one roller rotates clockwise and the other counterclockwise. The impeller huller is designed based on centrifugal and Coriolis forces, whereby the paddy is thrown against the liner part of the impeller housing. 

The only available ricemills in the country are the stone disk, commonly known as “kiskisan” and the rubber roll popularly known as “cono.” On the average, the kiskisan has a milling efficiency of 50-55% compared with single pass rubber-roll cono rice mill that provides an average milling recovery of 60-63% or the multi-pass rubber-roll’s milling recovery of 63-65%. As such, a 100-kg dried paddy that passes through a kiskisan could produce only a 50-55 kg of milled rice compared with the 60-67 kg recovery of rubber-roll type rice mills.

While the rubber-roller type “cono” rice mill is very popular in the Philippines because of its good milling efficiency, this type of rice mill requires higher investment and operating cost, higher power requirement, and regular replacement of rubber rolls.

With the study conducted at the Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization (PhilMech), researchers conclude that one potential approach in improving the current milling system in the Philippines is the development of impeller type rice mill given its relatively simple hulling mechanism and good performance for long grains. The machine has a milling capacity of 230 kg/hr. Head rice recovery is 64% while for brown rice is 91%.

The first prototype of the fabricated commercial model of impeller-type ricemill is easy to install, requires a small working space, has a lower maintenance and operating cost, and has a higher milling capacity, among other advantages.

The commercial unit will be field and pilot tested in major rice producing areas in the country.

The study on the impeller compact ricemill is one of the Council’s initiatives to improve the state of R&D in the agriculture, aquatic and natural resources sectors. This is in keeping with its commitment under DOST’s Outcome One: to provide science-based know-how and tools that will enable the agricultural sector to raise productivity to world-class standards.

Source: http://www.pcaarrd.dost.gov.ph/home/portal/index.php/quick-information-dispatch/2582-attaining-ricemill-efficiency-in-the-countryside-through-the-impeller-compact-ricemill

Sunday, November 27, 2016 Agriculture, Equipment, Technology-Implements

Locally Invented Rice Planter

Locally Invented Rice Planter

Mechanical Rice Transplanter

“Magtanim ay di biro” (Planting rice is never fun) used to be sang I the old days. It is because during planting season, nobody ever seems to stand straight. Everyone is stooped down under the hot sun planting the rice seedlings. And yes, it is never fun.

Today, local farmers and engineers have teamed up to develop and create the “Local Riding-Type Transplanter” or LRTT. This enables the farmer to ride the LRTT when planting the seedlings or rice stalks. 

The machine enables the farmer to plant from 2 to 6 seedlings at a time at a depth of  2-6 centimeters with 12 – 18 centimeters distance between them. Each line is separated by 30 centimeters. The LRTT has the capacity to plant 2 hectares of Riceland I five days as compared to the average manual planting of 14 – 18 days. This greatly enhances the efficiency of the farmer and maximizes the space for each seedling.   

The Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) developed the LRTT based on designs from Korea but was further modified for Philippine conditions. The project was financed by the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development ng Department of Science and Technology (DOST-PCAARRD).

The LRTT will be pilot tested for capabilities and endurance in several selected areas in the country for two years. Nueva Ecija, Iloilo and Midsayap, North Cotabato will be given each an LRTT for field testing. The farmers In these areas will be trained in the use, care and maintenance of the machines.

Manufacturers of the machines will also be given training. The field tests will be used to determine ho to further improve the machines and how its utilization will be more acceptable to farmers and the agricultural machinery market.

Source: Readings from DOST-PCAARRD

Friday, November 11, 2016 Agriculture, DA News, Equipment, Technology-Implements

Department of Agriculture (DA) to distribute 1 million fishing boats

Department of Agriculture (DA) to distribute 1 million fishing boats

One million fishing boats will be distributed by the DA within the next five years in a program to boost the sufficiency of marine resources. Each boat, made of fiberglass will cost Php75,000 each and 200,000 will be distribuated annually until the year 2020 according to the DA Secretary.

The local government units (LGUs) will identify the family beneficiaries and pruiority will be given to those who have no fishing boats. This is expected to increase the fishing yield of the fishing communities. 

“We will provide two families one fiberglass boat to share so they will also share the responsibility of taking care of it,” he said.

This is in line with the new policy directions of the agricultural sector wherein food production will be the main focus to alleviate poverty. Livelihood and training programs will target the farming and fishing sectors.

Based on the latest government data, the fisheries sector reported a  six percent drop in output for the second quarter as lower production was noted across major fish species.

At current prices, the sector grossed P60.2 billion, down seven percent year on year.

The fisheries sector accounted for 18 percent of the total agricultural output for the period.

The distribution of boats is an existing project initiated by the previous administration in 2014 in response to Typhoon Yolanda.

So far, the DA has distributed boats in the provinces of Zambales and Davao while Bataan and Pangasinan are next in line.

Meanwhile, the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources continued the enforcement of the three-month fishing closed season in municipal fishing grounds in all parts of the country.

During the closed season, BFAR will also implement livelihood programs for the affected fishermen including the clean up of the waters and the planting and rehabilitation of mangroves.

Source: Reading from http://www.philstar.com/agriculture/2016/08/21/1615562/da-rolling-out-1-m-fishing-boats

Friday, September 09, 2016 Aquaculture, Equipment, Technology-Implements

Piñol orders release of P2B worth of idle equipment

Piñol orders release of P2B worth of idle equipment

Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol has ordered the distribution of around P2 billion worth of equipment which were allegedly kept in various warehouses of the Department of Agriculture.

“I issued a directive that all equipment kept in all DA compound all over the country must be released within a period of two months. I ordered to start the distribution today,” Piñol said.

The agri chief issued the directive after reports confirmed that an estimated P2 billion worth of farm machineries and equipment were not distributed to farmer groups and local government units.

Piñol added the regional directors were at a loss on how to handle the distribution of equipment.

The regional office failed to distribute the equipment because farmer groups were not able to provide a 15 percent cash equity.

Farmer groups were supposed to shoulder 15 percent of the cost of the equipment under the guidelines issued by former DA Secretary Proceso Alcala.

 “I had to ask the opinion of two lawyers of the DA to determine whether the 15 percent equity to be paid by the beneficiaries directly to the equipment suppliers was legal,” he said.

Pending the resolution of his legal question, Piñol decided that the equipment must be immediately released or the government would be put at a disadvantage.

Farmer beneficiaries will just be asked to sign a deed of undertaking which says that if the 15 percent equity is legal, it will be paid by installment over a period of four years.

“I issued a stern warning to the regional directors that I will not allow the procurement of any other equipment without sufficient validation on the capacity of the beneficiaries to handle it and exhaustive social preparation,”  he said.

Just earlier this week, Piñol ordered an investigation of officials of DA-South Cotabato for failing to distribute around P100 million worth of equipment to farmer groups.

Source: http://www.philstar.com/agriculture/2016/07/24/1605870/pinol-orders-release-p2b-worth-idle-equipment

Wednesday, August 10, 2016 Agriculture, DA News, Equipment

BSWM, Takes Key Steps Towards Accomplishing National Soil Testing

BSWM, Takes Key Steps Towards Accomplishing National Soil Testing

    In keeping with the Department of Agriculture (DA) Secretary Emmanuel F. Piñol's order to complete the soil mapping analysis, the Bureau of Soils and Water Management (BSWM) started to mobilize the DA-Regional Field Offices (RFOs)  and Local Government Units (LGUs) for the Phase 1 implementation of the "National Soil Sampling and Testing for Fertility and Crop Suitability Assessment."

    The BSWM OIC, Director Sonia M. Salguero manifested her full and active support to the programs of the new administration towards achieving "Available and Affordable Food for the Filipino" by targeting the development of a web-based interface for enhanced access by farmers and other stakeholders of the color-coded maps.

    "We need to extend our help to the farmers and provide them with up-to-date and accurate data for them to easily  determine what kind of fertilizers to apply and which crops are suitable to plant in their areas," Salguero  said.

    For the period 2010 to 2015, the BSWM with counterpart-funding support from the DA-RFOs and responsive LGUs has completed soil fertility assessments in 12 provinces, 1 municipality and 1 city. These are located in regions 1 (Ilocos), 6 (Western Visayas), 7 (Central Visayas), 8 (Eastern Visayas) and 11 (Davao), mainly covering rice areas.
    Moreover, in the same period, the BSWM, with funding support from DA-RFOs and LGUs, undertook crop suitability assessment in 6 provinces, 7 municipalities and 4 cities covering more than 2 million hectares. The map outputs included suitability map for major crops in their locality such as rice, corn, coconut, banana, vegetables, pineapple, fruit trees and even agro-forestry.

    "Sa misyon na ito, tungkulin natin ang makapagbigay ng tama at agarang aksyon para tugunan ang pangangailangan ng ating mga magsasaka sa tulong ng makabagong teknolohiya," Salguero added.

    The top 47 major rice producing provinces were considered for Phase 1, however, 8 have already been updated (2014-2016) thus the BSWM will undertake suitability assessments to cover the remaining 39 provinces. (Amelia M. Fermia DA-BSWM)

                        ###

Tuesday, August 09, 2016 Agriculture, Equipment, Sustainable farming, Technology-Land

Government bent on providing free irrigation by 2017

Government bent on providing free irrigation by 2017

The government is bent on providing free irrigation to farmers starting next year, Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol said.

Quoting President Duterte, Pinol said: “I have not forgotten. That’s a commitment which will be fulfilled.”

“The President’s commitment of free irrigation will certainly be realized. When Duterte makes a promise, he makes sure it is fulfilled,” the Agri chief added.

Duterte reminded rice farmers to organize themselves and make sure irrigation canals are well maintained as the government pushes through with its plan to provide irrigation water for free.
Piñol has proposed an additional P4 billion in the 2017 budget of the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) to ensure free irrigation in 2017.

The NIA had earlier suggested a budget of P36.8 billion for 2017. If the additional funding is approved, the agency’s allocation will amount to P40.8 billion.

“By providing an additional funding, NIA will no longer depend on the collections from irrigation fees of farmers for the salaries of its officials and employees and for its operations,” Piñol said.

NIA spokesperson Filipina Bermudez earlier said the 2017 budget is allotted for the construction, restoration, and rehabilitation of irrigation projects and existing irrigation systems.

“The GAA (General Appropriations Act) for 2017 is not for PS and MOOE (personal services and maintenance and other operating expenses). It should be explicitly stated that part of the P40 billion is for PS and MOOE,” she added.

NIA collects up to P3 billion in irrigation fees annually and relies on the fees for employees’ salaries and allowance, as well as funding for operations and maintenance of existing irrigation systems in the country.

To achieve the government’s goal of free irrigation, Piñol sought the support of the Senate to implement the plan and fortunately gained positive feedback from Senate President Franklin Drilon and Senators Loren Legarda, Cynthia Villar, Koko Pimentel, Alan Peter Cayetano, Manny Pacquiao and Kiko Pangilinan.

Piñol said Congressmen from different provinces including Leyte, Samar, Biliran and the Bicol region have expressed their support to the government’s free irrigation project.

“I expect the free irrigation commitment of the president to sail through both the lower and upper houses of Congress smoothly,” he said.

Aside from beefing up the budget, Pinol is proposing to amend the NIA’s charter in the long run so that “providing free irrigation to farmers will no longer be just a political decision of a president who cares for the poor but a policy of government.”

President Duterte issued his first executive order early this month, reorganizing the the Office of the President and reverting the NIA and Fertilizer and Pesticide Authority to the Department of Agriculture.

By: Louise Maureen Simeon (Philstar)

Source:  http://www.philstar.com/agriculture/2016/08/07/1610755/government-bent-providing-free-irrigation-2017

Monday, August 08, 2016 Agriculture, Equipment, Sustainable farming, Technology-Land

100M WORTH OF BIODEGRADABLE COMPOSTING FACILITIES TO BENEFIT 172 QUALIFIED RECIPIENTS

100M WORTH OF BIODEGRADABLE COMPOSTING FACILITIES TO BENEFIT 172 QUALIFIED RECIPIENTS

    The Department of Agriculture's Bureau of Soils and Water Management (DA-BSWM) through the National Organic Agriculture Program (NOAP) allocated 100M budget worth of Composting Facilities for Biodegradable Wastes (CFBW) units to 172 qualified recipients to strengthen the institutional capacities of the Local Government Units (LGUs)  in terms of sorting, collecting and composting their community wastes and to lessen the dependence of the farmers to commercial fertilizers.

    CFBW and Small Scale Composting Facilities (SSCFs) are the two composting facilities being distributed by the BSWM to promote organic agriculture with BSWM being the DA’s national focal coordinating agency.

    According to BSWM Director and the NOAP National Coordinator, Dr. Silvino Q. Tejada, the National Solid Waste Management Commission (NSWMC) reported that there are 4,0087.46 tons of projected waste generation nationwide per day.  Considering the large amount of biodegradable wastes coming from city and town markets and residences, there is a need to set-up facilities near markets, trading posts and residential areas that will convert those wastes into organic fertilizers/compost which could be used by farmers and other interested groups.

    "We have been facing serious problems regarding proper management of waste disposal throughout the country. The Agriculture Department conducts researches to improve soil and water conditions that have been taken care of by the BSWM through the years. We keenly see to it that while we attain food sufficiency,
we are not leaving behind the line the importance of food safety," .

    Furthermore, to capacitate the stakeholders of the project, BSWM recently conducted a three-day Capacity Enhancement on the operations of CFBW held at the  Social Institute for Poverty Alleviation and Governance (SIPAG) Farm School in Las Piñas City. The pilot training program was attended by at least 60 representatives that are composed of City Agriculturists, Municipal Agricultural Officers and LGU representatives nationwide.

    In an interview with representatives from Region I, one of the attendees of the training, City Agricultural Officer Elmer V. Santiago underscored the importance of the in-vessel composting facility in terms of waste disposal management, promoting good agricultural practices through organic farming and environmental protection by bringing back the residues to the soils.

    "This capacity enhancement activity can give us more idea on how we can operate the facility to benefit more farmers in the community and the Local Government of Laoag as well. We are also looking forward to learn new technologies that perhaps be introduced to us by the end of this training" Santiago added.

    The Food and Agriculture Organization also cited that composting can potentially divert up to 150 kg of food waste per household per year from local collection authorities.
    CFBW can process 1-2 tons of biodegradable collected wastes and can produce 500kg organic fertilizer/compost in a span of two weeks. Through the establishment of these facilities, rural and urban communities are expected to improve their net income, reduce production cost and promote environmental protection through the use of organic fertilizers/composts produced from biodegradable community wastes.

    The DA implements the NOAP in support to the Organic Agriculture Act of 2010 or RA 10068 which was authored by DA Secretary Proceso J. Alcala.
    February this year, the BSWM completed its delivery of 83 CFBWs worth 49M nationwide.

    "Our country is now being recognized all over Asia in terms of organic farming, reaching our targeted increase of 5% hectares devoted to organic farming out of the total agricultural land area is what we have to work for this year," Tejada added.
   

Monday, March 21, 2016 Agriculture, DA News, Equipment, News, Technology-Implements