Bio-organic farming for sustained crop production in Ilocos

Farming with the use of biological and organic inputs to crop production has been a growing trend not only in the Philippines but worldwide. The generation of a lot of biologically-based and organically-based technologies triggered to some extent this growing trend. Also, the increasing cost of production using the conventional inorganic means contributed a lot to the shift of interest on biological and organic ways of farming.

However, the combination of these biological and organic means of production being termed as bio-organic farming still needs strong scientific assessment and documentation, especially in developing countries like the Philippines. In view of this concern, Abrina, et al. (MMSU) conducted the study, “Bio-Organic Farming for Sustained Crop Production in the Ilocos”, to determine the sustainability of a bio-organic farm in their respective locality. Likewise, an experimental bio-organic farm was established to investigate its sustainability vis-à-vis the conventional farms.

A one-hectare rice-based farm at MMSU, Batac, Ilocos Norte was used as the study site. It was divided into three experimental areas: bio-organic farming, conventional inorganic farming, and half-inorganic farming. Table 1 shows the farming technologies employed in each area. Pest dynamics monitoring was done in the bio-organic treatment to document the effects of the natural biological control of pests. A socio-economic survey was also undertaken in Ilocos Norte and Ilocos Sur involving ten municipalities in each province to assess the potentials of bio-organic farming in these areas. One-half percent of the farmers from each municipality was randomly selected and considered as respondents of the survey. The survey was done through interviews of the selected respondents. Analysis of the data and the description of practices and problems of bio-organic farming in the area were done using descriptive statistics, frequencies, means, and average of the gathered data.

Findings

• In 2000 cropping season, rice yields in the experimental farms showed that the half-organic farm registered the highest yield of 5.35 t/ha compared to the bio-organic (4.03 t/ha) ad the conventional (4.41 t/ha) farm. This was a significant increase from its 1999 cropping season yield of only 3.42 t/ha.

  Likewise, the bio-organic farm showed remarkable increase from its 1999 yield of only 3.72 t/ha to 4.03 t/ha in 2000. The conventional farms’ yield slightly decreased from 4.6 t/ha in 1999 to 4.41 t/ha in 2000. Although it was still higher than the yields of bio-organic farm, the trend was more promising with the bio-organic than with the conventional farm.

• Table 2 shows the increase of soil nutrient content in all of the experimental farms. Soil nutrient content (OM, P, K) substantially increased in the bio-organic farm, compared to the half-inorganic and conventional farms.
• Results of the study showed that the bio-organic farm generally had lower population of insect pests of rice (bugs, plant hoppers, leafhoppers) compared to the other experimental farms.
• On the survey conducted to assess the potentials of bio-organic farming in Ilocos Norte and Ilocos Sur, majority of 454 farmer-respondents used organic fertilizer (82%) and green manure (59%) in their farms. However, less farmers used biological fertilizers (21%) and biological pest control (44%). Most of them cited inadequate knowledge as their main constraint in using bio-organic farming technologies. Other reasons cited were: not convenient to use, not commercially available, and lower yields.
• Table 3 shows the different bio-organic farming technologies used by farmers in Ilocos Norte and Ilocos sur. On organic fertilizers, the most preferred type was self-prepared compost in Ilocos Norte and animal manure in Ilocos Sur. Leguminous crops were the most preferred green manure in both provinces. Both provinces also preferred azolla and kakawate as biological fertilizer and biological pest control, respectively.
• Most of the farmer-respondents cited lower farm expenses, better quality crops, and improved soil condition as their primary reasons for utilizing the different bio-organic farming technologies/strategies.
• Most of the respondents wanted to learn and gain more knowledge on the utilization and application of biological fertilizers and biological pest control among the different bio-organic farming technologies being used in the study areas.

Table 1. Farming technologies employed in the different experimental farms, MMSU, Batac, Ilocos Norte.

Table 2. Soil nutrient content (OM, P, and K) in the different experimental rice farms before and after the experiment.

Source: PCARRD, 2002. Highlights 2001, Los Banos, Laguna.

Organic Farming Information Network
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©2006