CALAUAN, Laguna—Calauan Mayor Buenafrido T. Berris has urged coconut farmers in this basically agricultural town to employ agricultural intercropping it as they are still reeling from the damage wrought by the cocolisap (coconut infestation) and at the onset of the typhoon season.
Berris told the Philippines News Agency here on Wednesday that Calauan coconut farmers are among those who suffered low income from their coconut products due to the coconut insect pests and Typhoon Glenda in 2014 that destroyed their primary agricultural produce.
Berris said the local government has supported the coconut farmers with agricultural intervention programs, such as intercropping coconut farms with vegetables and other crops, to alleviate their plight from the coconut infestation and typhoon damage.
The town mayor mentioned the farmers’ agricultural education and information program graced by agri-consultant Dr. Ponciano Batugal, who shared and introduced to Calauan farmers the “open-pollinated seeds” or those “naturally grown” vegetables.
According to Berris, the native vegetable variety could easily be grown with the natural farming environment these are adapted to.
He also encouraged coco farmers to intercrop their farmlands with fruit-bearing trees, such as lanzones and rambutan, where these are easily grown here and as alternative sources of income.
The fruit trees could also help protect the soil from erosion and contribute to the greening program for a “clean air and clean water” environment, Berris said.
He also urged farmers to go into organic farming after assessing agricultural experts’ knowledge that some hybrid varieties are sensitive to the type of soil; difficult to be cultivated because of their suitability to the controlled environment and that they cost more to farmers on the use of chemical fertilizers.
Berris also cited Batugal’s analysis that Calauan farmers are fortunate to cultivate a variety of vegetables and crops given the town’s suitable farming environment, including alternative livelihood on poultry and livestock.