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Palayamanan couple overwhelmed with increasing yields in rice and vegetables |
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Written by Salembai A. Abdullah
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Thursday, 24 January 2008 |
Average user rating0.0out of 5
Couples get old, and so do their children. Soon they will marry, leave the house, and leave their parents in their solitary house. In much the same way, their parents get to appreciate plants, gardening, and everything that is green.
Silveria and Danilo Rivero of Isabela City in Basilan are such parents. They spend their days tilling the soil, feeding their animals, removing insects, and talking to their plants if only to free themselves from the nostalgia of their children now living their own lives.
They are a revelation to farmers their age. In their 60s, the couple is very receptive to the technologies taught to them in the Farmers’ Field School (FFS) under the Technical Cooperation Project 4 where they serve as farmer-cooperators.
In fact, they were able to double their rice yield from 70 to 140 bags/ha using PSB Rc18. Moreover, they are now selling their vegetable produce where during their first harvest they earned PhP 6,000 from squash alone.
Learning stage
Farmer-participants in the area were very interested to learn, said Silveria. So that they would not be late for the FFS at 7am, they usually started walking at 6 am passing along muddy and hilly terrain. But they didn’t mind it.
As for the couple, planting rice is something they have been doing since they got married. But after attending FFS, they realized how much more they needed to learn about rice production.
“[Dati iniisip namin na] kung gaano karami ang abono na ilalagay, ganun din kalaki ang ani kaya dinadamihan namin” ( We thought that the more fertilizer applied, the higher is the yield. That’s why we applied too much). They added that they applied whenever they felt like they had to. As a result, they incurred a lot of unnecessary expenses.
In the FFS, they also learned integrated pest management, proper distance in planting, and many others.
Datu Fadh Jaljalis, FFS facilitator in the area, said the couple applied one bag of complete and one bag of urea for basal and another one bag of urea for top dress. They based their urea application on the result of leaf color chart (LCC) readings. This they learned from their FFS classes. He added that the couple now plants certified seeds with 15% yield advantage over farmer’s seeds. Moreover, the cooperators do not burn rice straws anymore; instead, they return them back to the field as additional nutrient source.
Silveria and Danilo did not believe they could sell their vegetable produce until they learned otherwise from the FFS. They were just planting vegetables for their own consumption and sell a few to passers-by. Now, the couple is starting to come up with strategies on how to make more money out of their vegetables. Seed preparation and use of seedling tray were the major contributors to increased yields, they said.
At their vegetable garden, they now wrap their ampalaya fruits with old banana leaves to avoid insect damage. They do not spray chemicals on their vegetables as it is harmful to humans, animals, and the environment. It is more delicious and safe to eat unsprayed and naturally grown vegetables, they said.
After working on their rice and vegetables, they also spend quality time with their pets – goats, ducks, and chickens. At a whistle, all their ducks would be following Silveria and eat their daily meals. From the chickens given by the TCP 4 project, they have been able to distribute 10 heads to other FFS farmer-participants.
At peace
Out of their income from farming, the couple has been able to put up a sari-sari store which Silveria is managing skillfully. Should there be vacant hours in their rather hectic schedule, they just spend them watching TV and while listening to the sound of droning crickets and mooing carabaos.
Planting is like a therapy for the couple. “Masarap magtanim dahil nakakawala ng problema at para din hindi ka magkakasakit” (It feels great to plant; it takes away your problems and you feel like you won’t get sick).
Just a proof of how devoted they are to farming, Danilo had to excuse himself during the interview to continue plowing the field with his carabao.
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Last Updated ( Thursday, 24 January 2008 )
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