ATO BELEN'S FARM

After a three-day strategic planning workshop at Bataan (north of Manila capital), Philippines, we went on a four-day exposure trip from 14 to 17 March 2011 to Los Baños to visit the Forest Products Research and Development Institute (FPRDI) and the Agroforestry Institute located at the University of the Philippines in Los Baños campus (1.5 hours road travel south of Manila capital), as well as some household-owned agroforestry farms located in different areas. We also had the opportunity to visit a bee farm.

Upon our arrival, we went directly to the Agroforestry Institute, where we had a knowledge sharing with Dr. Roberto G. Visco, the institute’s director, and a visit to the 3.8 hectare demonstration farm developed for students and NGOs wanting to learn about agroforestry (AF). The farm showcases various soil and water conservation technologies such as countour farming, alley cropping, hedgerows planting and rockwalling, among others. Another interesting AF technology showed to us is the research pilot site for combining dipterocarp species and edible ferns.

On the second day we went to Purok 2, in Silang, Cavite, to visit another agro-forestry demonstration farm owned by the former Barangay Captain Virgilio Tibayan. This more than three (3) hectare farm features the so called “nine in one” AF technology where seven agriculture and forestry crops are intercropped. The crops planted are peanuts, ginger, pineapple, papaya, coffee trees and guyabano and Glicirida sepium (locally known as kakawate in the Philippines). This tree is commonly used as AF crop because of its nitorgen-fixing ability. When mature, the tree will be used as support for growing black pepper. The farm is fenced with legume, mahogany trees and domestic yam. Mr. Tibayan advised us that we should visit during the soil preparation stage to get a better understanding of the process.

Our next visit was to the Municipal Agriculture Office in Nagcarlan, Laguna. The Municipal Agriculture Officer, Mr. Alex Dela Pena, briefed us on the mandate of his office, environmental solid waste management and the agricultural situation in the area. The municipality is generally rice-deficient but has an over-supply of vegetables and livestock. 90% of the land area in the municipality is coconut-based. The terrain is sloping, hilly and mountainous. Because of this, they have a 3-strata agricultural system: at the highest strata, there are coconut trees that also help to hold the soil and prevent flooding and erosion on the slopes. The 2nd or mid-strata, banana trees are planted and on the lower strata, are mostly vegetables and ornamental plants. Mr. Alex showed us a villager-owned agroforestry farm and on the way, we observed many fruit trees and crops planted in home yards along the road all the way up to the foothills of Mt. Banahaw, a sacred mountain spanning two provinces of Laguna and Quezon. Mr. Alex told us that farmers plant vegetables, root crops (there is a popular one called “yakon” which provides natural insulin and so is good for diabetics), and edible ferns, which are harvested for local market supply and transported to nearby towns.

We also visited a farm in Bukal village, which showcases a combination of ornamental plants and fruit trees and we were impressed by the diversity of plants growing there: it contained many species of domestic fruit trees, a few wild species, as well as flowering herbaceous ornamental plants particularly anthurium, which not only provides soil protection but also gives farmers growing this plant, a good income. We were informed that the orchard was three-hectares in size and comprised of many fruit trees, including coconut trees, rambutan, mangosteen, santol and lanzones, which provide many layers of canopy. The farmer told us that he comes to his orchard every day just to check if his coconut fruits, other fruits or ornamental flowers are mature enough to be harvested for sale. He can earn approximately US$1000 every month from selling anthurium flowers and fruits.

We also met Mr. Ato Belen, a model farmer of Barangay San Juan, San Pablo City. He owns about 22 hectares. 20 hectares of which is devoted to agro-forestry, and the other two hectares for other purposes, such as housing, animal raising, nursery and fruit trees. He said his land was almost barren in the past ten years, but today, it is full of fruit trees. He also showed us his home-made organic spray products called LactoBac LAS-1 and granule soil produced by earthworms. There are two types of organic spray products; one is used to eliminate smell at animal cages and another one is used to stimulate the growth of crops and flowering of fruit trees. When asked about this technique, he kindly shared with us his knowledge. He is also skilled in horticulture techniques like inarching , grafting and budding. He shares his knowledge with other farmers in the area by giving weekend lectures. Because of his vast knowledge and his willingness to share this with others, the government has recognized him as a model farmer and he is quite well known in San Pablo.

On our way back to Manila, we visited a family-owned bee keeping farm and business, Ilog Maria. Within the three-hectare area, bee boxes are installed, some in systematic rows, some randomly scattered. There is also a store that sells many honey and bee wax products. We were very interested by the eco-friendly design of the bee museum/house and the bathroom, and the use of solar power for lighting.

The sites we visited were examples of good agro-forestry practices that are resulting in productive and highly diverse forest farms. Clearly, by implementing good techniques, agro-forestry can be practiced at the household level with profitable results for farmers. ■

“Bearing Good Fruit : New Learnings on Agroforestry from the Philippines”

Article by Khou Eanghourt, National Facilitator (Cambodia NTFP Working Group),
Amalia R. Maling (Technical Advisor, WWF Cambodia), Femy Pinto (Cambodia Facilitator, NTFP-EP)

Source: Voices from the Forest
Non-Timber Forest Products   ( www.ntfp.org )
(Exchange Programme for South and Southeast Asia)

20th Edition (May 2011)