CLIMATE GOING HAYWIRE

Rains in March, long dry spell from June to August, cold days and nights from January to April when before it should have been October to January! These are only few of the phenomena that we are suffering from. We farmers are at our wits end because we planted according to cropping patterns we were familiar with for the last 20 years. Now suddenly our watermelons and mangoes were hit and we are losing millions of pesos.

Agricultural Technician Ramon Sacenal is a case in point. As a technician of the Office of the Provincial Agriculture Office, he knows his cropping patterns like the back of his hand. For years he is also a watermelon farmer, leasing rice land for the second crop (from October to May) to plant watermelons. He and his wife, a rice retailer co-invest in watermelons where Ramon takes out a low interest loan either from GSIS or from his cooperative. In previous years, this venture was highly profitable but this yer, he lost a lot of money. At the maximum fruiting stage in late January to mid-February this year, rains did not let up and severely damaged Ramon's crop where he expected a gross return of at least 5 times his investment. He followed up with a squash crop but again the rains did not stop so the squash plants were infested with mosaic disease that attacks when the air is humid and the leaves do not dry up at certain times of the day.

Mr. Sol Ahumada, another PAO technician, invested in his family's mango trees where he usually induces the flowers between November and December for a nice crop sometime in March or April. As usual, the flowers bloomed like crazy since Sol is the province's mango expert but since rains continued to fall in January to February, a major part of the fruits either fell or was attacked by both pests and diseases.

Sugarcane farmers meanwhile are rejoicing. Tonnage of their cane harvests is high but the purity or sweetness is affected. Nevertheless, they still enjoy a prosperous season mainly because of the price and demand for sugar. So does the rice and corn farmers. The availability of water has encouraged them to plant a relay crop without fear of water stress since even until now, rains fall regularly.

Marginal wetland farmers who plant a portion of their land to kangkong (Ipomea aquatica) as a daily source of income are happy these days too. Ordinarily, their kankong stands stop growing starting January but even this April, they continue to harvest daily because of the rains. Their income stream from kangkong is still regular.

This erratic climate creates confusion. It also makes people hesitate to invest especially in farming. For the big farmers, it may be okay to take the risk, but for the marginal ones, to invest in a crop may mean hunger for the family in the next few months.

Erratic weather also creates fear of flood in the case of La Nina and brush fires during El Nino. Typhoon Frank is a case in point. In just 48 hours, the volume of rains that poured into Iloilo Province and City was equal to the volume that could have poured in 30 days that resulted to a flood never experienced before.

Worse things are to come yet, according to scientists. The gravity of damage done to earth has caused major changes in the climate patterns where regular weather occurrences cannot be plotted anymore. Even nature has started to cope. Plants that normally thrive in wetland conditions have started to survive with the least moisture. The sweet potato variety that I plant for its leaves can already survive with the least watering although I have to contend with its smaller leaves and tougher stems. My upland kangkong grows vigorously in wet conditions. I have lost my fig bushes because of the wet soils but my other fruit trees are doing well with a more than ordinary soil moisture.

One has to cope with these drastic changes. Like the organisms, plants and animals that coped and survived since the age of the dinosaur, we have to adapt and make major changes. Climate change is here and like the old saying, nothing is permanent except change.

DO DAY AGAINST DENGUE

Before Dengue has reached epidemic levels in Iloilo Province, Governor Arthur Defensor, Sr. has launched another Do Day Against Dengue and enlisted all sectors of society so that we may be able to contain the disease. The program which shall be led by the municipal governments, calls for a regular search and destroy operations on the possible breeding places of the Aedes Egyptii. The catholic church meanwhile signified its cooperation by agreeing to ring church bells province-wide at the designated time to create awareness and initiate the activities.

Let this Do Day be a comprehensive drive against the enemy, the virus and its vector, the Aedes Egypti mosquito. What we will search and destroy are the breeding areas of the mosquitoes and larvae which in this case are pools or even droplets of clean water. Let us also give the enemy a closer scrutiny, its life cycle, and, its niche in the ecosystem.

Information says that the Dengue virus becomes active and is carried by the said mosquito after seven days from the time it had bitten an infected person. Eggs of the mosquito is produced in about two days after mating. It is the female Aedes which bites because it needs the protein from the blood to develop the larva. The larva hatches in about 2 days more and will pupate in about 4 days. A set of male and female may lay up to 900 eggs.

Like any organism in the ecosystem, mosquitoes are also a part of the whole food chain. While the female feeds on animals (which include humans), the male feed on digestible plants, especially fruits. And like other animals, they too have their own predators. The adult are food for larger insects like spiders, dragonflies, frogs, toads and bats. The larva are fed on by fishes especially small ones like gobies, killi and guppies.

Any species multiply when food is available and when predators are absent. Mosquitoes react the same way. When the larvae in stagnant water are left to survive until the pupa stage and no other species feed on them during this period, the whole species multiply exponentially. So a pair of Aedes will become hundreds of Dengue-carrying horde in just a few days if left uncontrolled, simply because we thought that we humans have the burden to control their population. We seem to have forgotten that we are just a cog in the whole ecosystem. That for us to survive, the whole environment we live in should be self-sustaining and dynamic.

We also thought in the that the solution to the Dengue epidemic is simplistic or can be reduced to the basic equation where we alone are the key actors. We seem to have forgotten to enlist nature into our comprehensive fight against the dreaded disease. We forgot that for us to win over the horde of mosquitos that seem to have defeated us, we should have to mobilize our allies which are not of the human kind.

Maybe we should start evaluating our whole environment. Where have we gone wrong? In the process of striving for the so-called progress and development, haven't we destroyed our ecosystem? Look at how frogs, toads, lizards, swallows, sparrows and bats disappeared. For many, toads are just pesky jumping creatures. Bullfrogs are tasty beer partners. Bats are feared creatures because of the dracula fiction. They are also tasty food to some. So we have put it upon ourselves to exterminate them all.

Dragonflies are a tragic collateral damage in our effort to produce more food. A dragonfly kills about 30-50 mosquitoes daily. They die off because they have ingested poisoned insects or were directly hit by the chemical sprays when they foray for food.

A spider web can catch a substantial number of insects including mosquitoes everyday. Where insect population are many, the density of spider population explode exponentially too. But spiders too have become a hot commodity. What used to be a child's game has become a million peso gambling pastime. Thousands of spiders are gathered daily from May to September for spider fighting where aficionados bet thousands of pesos per fight. Incidentally, the spider season coincides with the period where Aedes Egypti is most prevalent.

So, have we noticed that swallows, bats and other small birds seem to have disappeared in the last 30 years or so? Have we asked ourselves why? Maybe it's the chemicals that we use to control the insect pests which incidentally are the main sources of food for these birds and bats. Maybe we have grossly destroyed their habitats in search for more land to grow crops or cleared the forest for timber and later on for hillside farming. Whatever reason we have, the bottom line is that in the name of progress, we have destroyed other species which could have helped us control these mosquitoes.

Several months ago when I first wrote a similar piece, I received feedback that some local Sanggunians have made resolutions banning the gathering of spiders for whatever purpose. The Department of Environment and Natural Resources likewise tightened its watch over these illegal activities. Good! But we should go one step further: there should be a wider program where even the imprudent use of agricultural chemicals should be monitored and sanctioned so that we can somehow reduce the damage done to mosquito predators. Also, we should encourage environment regeneration and farm integration so that we transcend from the mono-culture or mono-crop system which is doing more harm than good.

Hole of Justice: Grand Plan at the Kingdom by the River 15

Hole of Justice: Grand Plan at the Kingdom by the River 15: "By Peter G. JimeneaHole of Justice The internet enabled me to overcome the self-censorship of local papers which used to publish my columns...."

CATFISH GROWING TIPS FROM THE INTEGRATED FARMER

1. Buy your fingerlings from a reliable source. Be sure that the sizes are uniform so that you will minimize shooters or the fast growers which will cannibalize the other fingerlings. Use high quality catfish feed which has the right amount of protein and amino acids;
2. Alan no longer size his fingerlings but he feeds them ad libitum so that the fingerlings will not prey on the others;

3. 

   Catfish pond is surrounded by cardaba banana which were originally
   

    

   tissue-cultured
   

   
   

   
   

   Once the fingerlings reach a size were they can already eat chicken entrails and other protein sources, add these to their diet but they should first be cooked. Make friends with people who have sources of entrails and other protein sources. Use farm surplus as friendship tokens so that you can establish long term friendship that will allow you to get preference in limited supplies like chicken entrails;
4. Up to marketable or harvestible size, feed the catfish ad libitum so that they will no longer move about and “walk” during heavy rains;
5. Harvest when they have achieved 300 to 500 grams since after that the conversion rate is slow;
6. It is best to practice all in and all out then dry the ponds to avoid remnants feeding off the new batch of fingerlings;

HOG FINISHING TIPS FROM THE INTEGRATED FARMER

1.  Decide on which segment of the industry you will enter into, like finishing or piglet production. Allan chose finishing hogs because of the nature of his farm where he wants to spend more time in other crops and also use farm wastes to feed them. Have the right population so that you can sell regularly and earn money for family needs as well as for added investment in the farm;
2. Buy piglets only from reliable sources known for their fast growing breed. Choose crosses like Duroc x Large White for hybrid vigor. Choose healthy piglets which are of standard size and weights as per their age. They should also be fully vaccinated so that you will no longer spend for immunization;
3. Feed the pigs with the right ration until maximum growth stage is reached then you can add fruits and other high carbohydrate feeds to hasten finishing and add weight to the pigs. Added feeds from fruits and vegetables grown on the farm lessen the cost of commercial ration;
4. Compute the growing period of the finishers so that you can sell them at the right time without added feed expenses and thus maximize net income from the finishing operation;

PAPAYA PRODUCTION TIPS FROM THE INTEGRATED FARMER

1. Use only high quality seeds from the authorized retailers and distributors. Don't use F2 seeds of hybird papaya because they will be heterozygous and are susceptible to pests and diseases such as ring spot virus, mealy bugs, etc.;
2. Start seeds in seedling trays and transfer them to seedling bags at the right time for fast and maximum growth;
3. Fertilize regularly with the right kind of fertilizers so that the plants grow well and start flowering and fruiting as scheduled. Allan uses a mix of 16-16-16 and Urea during the maximum growing stage and 16-16-16 and 0-0-60 during the fruiting stage. He fertilizes about 50 grams per tree every 10-15 days;
4. Inspect plants daily for growth, water stress, pest and disease infestation and weed intrusion so that corrective measures are immediately undertaken. He floods the papaya fields weekly just before water stress manifests;
5. Isolate diseased and pest-infested plants as soon as detected to avoid spread of diseases and pests. Quarantine diseased areas and disinfect immediately;
6. Harvest when fruits are mature green with just streaks of yellow on the bottom so that they will keep longer. Fruits that are ripe and from diseased plants should immediately be removed from the field. Allan gives the ripe fruits to his finisher pigs and disposes of the left over peels so that fruit flies are controlled;

TIPS FROM AN INTEGRATED FARMER

TIPS FROM THE INTEGRATED FARMER

1. Spread the risks of your farm projects. Do not rely on just one crop;
   
   
2. Design your crops and projects so that you will have daily, weekly and periodic income sources;
   
   
3. Study your farm well, from features to the soil types. Based on your findings, develop your farm plan so that all crops and projects fit into each area that you plan and that inter-relationships are established;

4. Use only the best seeds and materials coming from reliable sources. You will regret the mistakes in particular varieties and breeds you choose. For example in buying seeds of the F1 Red Lady, buy from direct producers or distributors and from legitimate retailers. True Red Lady F1 are hardy, highly productive and will pay for itself in just a few harvests;
   
   
5. Once you choose a project to develop, stick to it and study as you go along so that you can perfect your system. Allan chose to raise fatteners/finishers instead of raising sows and producing the piglets by himself because of the labor and time needed to nurse the sows and which would eat up on other highly productive activities such as harvesting papaya, eggplants, etc.;
   
   
6. Choose projects that have inter-relationships like having fattening pigs so that fruits and vegetable that cannot be sold can be fed to the pigs and thus hasten their growth at the finishing stage, and, their manure serve as soil conditioner;
   
   
7. Minimize costs by investing in appropriate tools and equipment. Use rice hull stoves where rice hull is easily available so that you can have fuel to cook for the household and feed for the finishers and have carbonized rice hulls at the same time. Carbonized rice hulls are excellent low cost soil conditioners for all crops. It can also serve as deodorizer for the pig pens; 
   
   
8. As you farm, study your crops and other projects so that you can continue to improve the system, productivity and income. Also study the markets by regularly visiting the city and other market centers so that you will know what sells well and at a high price;

AGRI TECHNICIAN MAKES GOOD AS FULLTIME INTEGRATED FARMER

This Agricultural Technician employed by the LGU of Cabatuan, Iloilo finally made a decision on August 1, 2010, that his peers thought he would regret for the rest of his lfe. He opted to trade his employment and steady salary of about P13,000 monthly, for the life and income of a farmer who is at the mercy of the elements. Being a farmer of just 3.1 hectares, his friends said, would give him an impoverished life since they as fellow agriculture technicians themselves know the realities of farm life.

Yet Allan R. Umadhay was firm in his decision. He had already weighed the risks and the opportunities of full time farming. The seminars he attended together with the farmers he had been supervising also gave him insights of the profitability of farming if one were serious and dogged about producing the different crops and livestock. The integrated farming methods that he had learned also gave him ideas on how to maximize the land he is now farming.

While still at the LGU, he had started with the Red Lady hybrid papaya using a packet containing about 500 seeds he bought in late 2007. Being a neophyte, only about 200 seedlings germinated and by the 8th month when the fruits first ripened, he immediately saw the profitability so he started another set and was able to grow 500 seedlings. Meanwhile he also developed other projects like his hogs and catfish components. But Typhoon Frank in June 2008 erased all his gains and enundated the whole farm.

Not one to be discouraged easily, he immediately worked hard to replant portions of the farm starting with one packet of Hybrid Red Lady seeds where he again raised about 500 hills on the portion he initially developed. Right after the first area was planted, he immediately grew another batch to plant in an adjacent area. By January 2009, he was harvesting about 200 kilograms and he was emboldened to expand with other crops and components so that he can increase his productivity and income base.

Starting with 1.6 hectares, his farm farm was expanded to a total of 3.1 hectares when a seaman friend offered to him his ¾ hectare farm where Allan has only to plant at least 500 langka trees. Another ¾ hectare was mortgaged to him by a relative. The whole area is now productive with various crops, mostly papaya, eggplants and ampalaya.

At any given time, Allan raises pig fatteners bought from friends who have good quality piglets. He opted not to raise sows since his intention is to sell finished hogs regularly. The hogs also serve as consumers of the waste fruits and vegetables so that there is practically no wastes in the farm. On any given month, Allan sells 8 to 10 heads of finished hogs weighing between 90 to 100 kilograms.

His catfish pond accommodates about 2,000 fingerlings costing P1,500.00. He feeds them with chicken entrails that he buys from a nearby dressing plant. Having been employed there once, he had maintained relations with the staff and he also used his extra papayas as public relations tool. He regularly gets about 10-20 kilograms of chicken entrails which he cooks and chops to feed to the growing catfish. When entrails are in short supply he resorts to commercial booster and floaters and even so, he still makes a sizable margin despite using part of the catfish produced as public relations and to serve as food for visitors as well as pasalubong to relatives in the nearby town.

The cardaba, saba and lakatan bananas that he planted in the borders and in vacant spaces of the farm are also productive that he harvests between 200 to 500 kilos per week that he sells at about P8.00 per kilogram.

By January 2010, he was harvesting about 500 to 1,000 kilograms per week and middle men or papaya traders started to notice and now visited him. He had a strict rule in marketing, He accepted a base price of P15.00 per kilogram ex-farm gate, but it has to be in cash. So at that base price, he was already earning enough for his family's needs as well as some cash for investment in other projects. From that time on, his papaya production gradually increased and he is presently harvesting an average of 1,500 kilograms weekly.

The decision to resign as Agricultural Technician was not really hard for Allan. He consulted first his loving wife Victoria and their two children (one other child is with his wife's aunt who had adopted her). With the earnings from his farm and partly from his salary, Allan has already invested in a small but comfortable house, electric power from the local electric cooperative and basic appliances such as refrigerator, television, computer with broadband internet and satellite TV. He also has a solar module which provides lighting whenever there is power outage especially during typhoons and heavy rains.

He projects that his income from the various projects can more than compensate the salary he lost as an LGU employee. He has regular weekly and monthly sales from the products of his farm. When in the past, he managed the farm only at night and and early morning before he went to the office, he now can work up to 16 hours a day, starting very early in the morning and ending very late at night with the aid of high intensity lamps powered by both the local electric coop and the solar power module.

Being a simple man in thirst of farming knowledge, he watches cable TV science programs and incessantly surfs the internet for new technologies which he adopts and applies in his farm. This is why he earns enough from from his present farm size and feels he can survive even without the salary from the local government unit.

“It's about time, I stand on my own if only to prove my advocacy that there is money in farming. I heeded my own instinct and rational thinking because I know that my peers do not have farms, the technology and energy that I have. I am not afraid to strike out now because my farm projects are stable and will even become more productive with added components. I also have time to spend with my family while we are together managing the farm as well as visiting the city for relaxation and added learning”, said Allan.