SCOPSA, GAINING POPULARITY AMONG CORN FARMERS

SCOPSA, GAINING POPULARITY AMONG CORN FARMERS

(From Left to Right) Regional Technical Director Orlando Lorenzana (Region II), Ms. Nancy de Sagun (BSWM), Assistant Director Sonia Salguero (BSWM), Engr. Samuel Contreras (BSWM) and Mr. Dominciano Ramos (BSWM) joined by the participants and representatives from the DA's Regional Field Offices, Agricultural Training Institute (ATI), Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) and Private Agricultural Sectors during the National Consultative Review and Planning Workshop for Sustainable Corn Production in Sloping Areas (SCoPSA) held at the BSWM Convention Hall.

Based on the initial result of the project implementation of Sustainable Corn Production in Sloping Areas (SCoPSA), farmers and Local Government Units (LGUs) are seen to be highly engaged in establishing more new sites and community based techno-demo farms that can benefit almost 600,000 families in the country relying to corn as their main source of livelihood.

Results are manifested by the numerous requests coming from the LGUs seeking assistance to conduct technical briefings and capacity trainings that is more than twice the target for 2015.

Based on reports of the Bureau of Soils and Water Management (BSWM) as the implementing agency of the program, 1,200 corn farmers have already given assistance and consultations that strengthened partnership among various stakeholders engaged in corn production and the government from April to December 2015 in the provinces of Quirino, Iloilo, Capiz, Nueva Vizcaya, Albay and Bukidnon.

In 2013, the Department of Agriculture instructed the BSWM in close coordination with DA-RFOs to provide Techno-Demo Farms to address the issues concerning improper soil and water conservation management and other human-induced crop production practices in sloping areas, particularly, upland fields that are not supposed to be planted with corn to protect landscapes.

Presently, SCoPSa is one of the Department of Agriculture's soil conservation and climate change adaptation measures through the coverage of corn areas vulnerable to soil erosion in different locations of the country.

The project is implemented by establishing a techno-demo farm showcasing easily adoptable and socially acceptable soil and water conservation technologies which are focused on soil erosion control and gully stabilization to improve soil fertility.

According to BSWM Director Silvino Tejada, corn is considered cash crop for the last five years through introduction of technologies for corn production.

"We are aiming for sustainable agricultural practices that can benefit not just the farmers but the whole agricultural sector in  the long run" Tejada added.

Furthermore, to enhance the productivity level of corn production and extend the promotion of sustainable land use management, a two-day Consultative Review and Planning Workshop for SCoPSA was carried out by the BSWM led by Assistant Director Sonia M. Salguero at the BSWM Convention Hall. The said workshop was attended by the DA's attached agencies, DA-Regional Field Offices and Crop Life Philippines representatives.

During the island-wide consultation, it was proposed that additional community-based sites shall be established for more opportunities that can be provided and extended to upland corn farmers to increase their income while promoting sustainable land use management and good agricultural practices.

"Doing this is not just promoting the corn but making sure that the production in these particular fields is sustainable," Salguero said.

Presently, SCoPSA has already established 15 techno-demo farms in Regions I, II, V and VI and aims to establish 12 more sites for 2016 in Cagayan Valley, Bicol Region and Northern Mindanao that will have a total of 76.8 hectares of techno-demo farms.

"As the Philippines remains self-sufficient in corn supply, to sustain its availability and production sufficiency is up to our supervision and continuous action," Salguero added. (Loraine D. Cerillo DA-BSWM)

Source: DA

Monday, March 28, 2016 Agriculture, DA News, Events, Slow Food, Technology-Land

Social Entrepreneur To Talk On "Making Agriculture Smart and Sexy" at Slow Food Summit

Social Entrepreneur To Talk On "Making Agriculture Smart and Sexy" at Slow Food Summit

Social Entrepreneur Cherrie Atilano

BACOLOD, Philippines - A 28-year-old Negrense social entrepreneur, agriculturist and farmer, will talk about making agriculture smart and sexy at the eighth installation of Organic Market at The Slow Food Negros Island Summit happening on November 27 at the Social Hall of the Capitol Building in this city.

Cherrie Atilano, who grew up in Silay City in this island was a scholar of the Provincial Capitol under the Pagkaon Scholarship Program, will talk on "Making Agriculture Smart and Sexy" on Friday from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Atilano graduated magna cum laude from the Visayas State University with a degree on agriculture. She is a founder of AGREA Agricultural Systems International, and a consultant of the Department of Agrarian Reform.

She has worked at the Gawad Kalinga Community Development Foundation as executive assistant of its founder, Antonio Meloto, and at Ayala Land Inc. as landscape horticulturist supervisor and head of Land Development.

At the Slow Food Negros Island Summit, chefs, farmers, slow food advocates—even converts—will unite to give interesting insights on the most pressing issues about food, our food systems, and the way we eat.  

At the summit, an introduction to Slow Food will be made by Pacita Juan, Reena Gamboa-Peña, Mia Gonzaga and Dr. Anabel Villanueva at 8 to 9 a.m. of November 27.

Ige Ramos will speak on “Tuklasin ang Katutubong Kulinaryo ng Pilipinas (discover Filipino dishes) at 9 a.m., and Nico Aberasturi -Homesteading Growing Food Instead of Lawns at 10 a.m., Villanueva said.

Margarita Fores will discuss the “The Philippines' Ark of Tastes” at 11 a.m., Hindy Weber Tantoco and Melanie Go – The Holistic Life at 1:30 p.m., Amy Besa – Green is Gold in Negros at 3 p.m. 

A Slow Food tasting by the Slow Food Negros Island Convivium will be held at noon.

Slow Food Negros Island is a group of volunteers dedicated in saving endangered food, celebrating gastronomic traditions, promoting good, clean, and fair food, as well as building a healthy relationship among producers, chefs, and consumers.

Slow Food is a global, grassroots movement founded in 1989 by Carlo Petrini and a group of passionate individuals. It started when an international fast food franchise expressed its interest in opening a branch at the famous Spanish Steps in Rome, Italy. The citizens protested by sharing a big bowl of penne pasta with the crowds and began chanting “we don’t want fast food, we want slow food.” Perhaps it was the first time that it was officially coined, the tedious processes of producing and preparing various ingredients for select dishes like cheese, wine, fish, meat, as well as the traditional cooking methods have always been practiced in different parts of the world. After that incident in the ‘80s, what started as a protest to fast food grew to a global movement active in over 100 countries.

Sunday, November 22, 2015 Events, Events-Conferences, Events-Educational, Slow Food

Slow Food Negros Island Summit to be held in Bacolod, Nov. 27

Slow Food Negros Island Summit to be held in Bacolod, Nov. 27

BACOLOD, Philippines - Chefs, farmers, slow food advocates - even converts, unite at The Slow Food Negros Island Summit to give interesting insights on the most pressing issues about food, our food systems, and the way we eat.  The Slow Food Negros Island Summit will be held at the Social Hall of the Capitol Building in Bacolod City on November 27, Dr. Anabel Villanueva said yesterday.

At the summit, an introduction to Slow Food will be made by Pacita Juan, Reena Gamboa-Peña, Mia Gonzaga and Villanueva at 8 to 9 a.m. of November 27.

Ige Ramos will speak on “Tuklasin ang Katutubong Kulinaryo ng Pilipinas (discover Filipino dishes) at 9 a.m., and Nico Aberasturi -Homesteading Growing Food Instead of Lawns at 10 a.m., Villanueva said.

Margarita Fores will discuss the “The Philippines' Ark of Tastes” at 11 a.m., Hindy Weber Tantoco and Melanie Go – The Holistic Life at 1:30 p.m., Amy Besa – Green is Gold in Negros at 3 p.m. and Cherrie Attilano – Making Agriculture Smart and Sexy at 4 p.m., she added.

A Slow Food tasting by the Slow Food Negros Island Convivium will be held at noon, she said.

Slow Food Negros Island is a group of volunteers dedicated in saving endangered food, celebrating gastronomic traditions, promoting good, clean, and fair food, as well as building a healthy relationship among producers, chefs, and consumers.

Slow Food is a global, grassroots movement founded in 1989 by Carlo Petrini and a group of passionate individuals. It started when an international fast food franchise expressed its interest in opening a branch at the famous Spanish Steps in Rome, Italy. The citizens protested by sharing a big bowl of penne pasta with the crowds and began chanting “we don’t want fast food, we want slow food.” Perhaps it was the first time that it was officially coined, the tedious processes of producing and preparing various ingredients for select dishes like cheese, wine, fish, meat, as well as the traditional cooking methods have always been practiced in different parts of the world. After that incident in the ‘80s, what started as a protest to fast food grew to a global movement active in over 100 countries.

Sunday, November 22, 2015 Events, Events-Conferences, Events-Educational, Global News, LGU, News, Slow Food

Making Agriculture Smart and Sexy

Making Agriculture Smart and Sexy

Social Entrepreneur Cherrie Atilano

BACOLOD, Philippines - A 28-year-old Negrense social entrepreneur, agriculturist and farmer, will talk about making agriculture smart and sexy at the eighth installation of Organic Market at The Slow Food Negros Island Summit happening on November 27 at the Social Hall of the Capitol Building in this city.

Cherrie Atilano, who grew up in Silay City in this island was a scholar of the Provincial Capitol under the Pagkaon Scholarship Program, will talk on "Making Agriculture Smart and Sexy" on Friday from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Atilano graduated magna cum laude from the Visayas State University with a degree on agriculture. She is a founder of AGREA Agricultural Systems International, and a consultant of the Department of Agrarian Reform.

She has worked at the Gawad Kalinga Community Development Foundation as executive assistant of its founder, Antonio Meloto, and at Ayala Land Inc. as landscape horticulturist supervisor and head of Land Development.

At the Slow Food Negros Island Summit, chefs, farmers, slow food advocates—even converts—will unite to give interesting insights on the most pressing issues about food, our food systems, and the way we eat.  

At the summit, an introduction to Slow Food will be made by Pacita Juan, Reena Gamboa-Peña, Mia Gonzaga and Dr. Anabel Villanueva at 8 to 9 a.m. of November 27.

Ige Ramos will speak on “Tuklasin ang Katutubong Kulinaryo ng Pilipinas (discover Filipino dishes) at 9 a.m., and Nico Aberasturi -Homesteading Growing Food Instead of Lawns at 10 a.m., Villanueva said.

Margarita Fores will discuss the “The Philippines' Ark of Tastes” at 11 a.m., Hindy Weber Tantoco and Melanie Go – The Holistic Life at 1:30 p.m., Amy Besa – Green is Gold in Negros at 3 p.m. 

A Slow Food tasting by the Slow Food Negros Island Convivium will be held at noon.

Slow Food Negros Island is a group of volunteers dedicated in saving endangered food, celebrating gastronomic traditions, promoting good, clean, and fair food, as well as building a healthy relationship among producers, chefs, and consumers.

Slow Food is a global, grassroots movement founded in 1989 by Carlo Petrini and a group of passionate individuals. It started when an international fast food franchise expressed its interest in opening a branch at the famous Spanish Steps in Rome, Italy. The citizens protested by sharing a big bowl of penne pasta with the crowds and began chanting “we don’t want fast food, we want slow food.” Perhaps it was the first time that it was officially coined, the tedious processes of producing and preparing various ingredients for select dishes like cheese, wine, fish, meat, as well as the traditional cooking methods have always been practiced in different parts of the world. After that incident in the ‘80s, what started as a protest to fast food grew to a global movement active in over 100 countries.

Sunday, November 22, 2015 DA News, Events, Events-Conferences, Events-Educational, News, Organic, Slow Food