Farmers Learn New Techniques in Lakbay Aral

The participants of the agricultural technology exchange at the La Granja Research Station in La Carlota City, Negros Occidental.

Farmer participants of the technology exchange to Negros Occidental goes beyond mere appreciation of their experience. They also want to practice what they learned back in their farms.

The group composed of outstanding farmers from Region 7 are winners of the different categories of the Gawad Saka Search 2014 and farmer- listeners of the School-on-the-Air program of the DA.

According to Miguela Tinagan, a member of Region 7’s outstanding Farm Family , putting new ideas into practice is the priority when she arrives home. The demonstration on grafting opened her eyes that she can actually do it herself by utilizing the Rambutan tree in her backyard. She said she can improve the quality of her Rambutan by finding a scion or a plant which produces a better fruit to be grafted onto the rootstock.

Catching the attention of the group is the ‘Abiu fruit.’ which tasted like a star apple or caimito, but is latexless. According to Terry Amy Moncan, technician of the La Granja Research Station, though abiu originated from South America , the Philippine Abiu is sourced from Thailand.

Tinagan said she bought several seedlings for propagation in Dumaguete City. She added that she is particularly interested of the health benefits of Abiu as it is rich in vitamin A, B3 and C, and is said to be effective in preventing respiratory problems.

An ‘Abiu’ fruit amazed the participants.

Another participant , Janette Adalia, a farmer-listener of DA’s radio program, said it was her first time- to go out of the region and learn techniques that would make her more productive.

Adolfo Piquero, an outstanding farmer from Bohol, said that the trip to the Paglaum village, taught him how to be creative in utilizing small spaces using organic agriculture.

Though the visited project is school-based, it taught him that even the young kids in his hometown in Bohol, can be organized to plant vegetables and earn income at an early age. (Anna Delza S. Barimbao)