CAGAYAN de Oro City — Talaandig farmers in Barangay San Miguel are learning to grow vegetables organically, but the bigger test is whether the new methods will improve their harvests, raise their income and give consumers access to affordable, safe produce.
Members of the Balugto “Hope” Agroforestry Association Inc. (BHAII) attended hands-on training on Oct. 6 under a science and technology project implemented by the Department of Science and Technology in Northern Mindanao (DOST-10).
The training covered organic vegetable production, beekeeping, soil and nutrient management, crop protection, seed-to-seed organic farming and proper seed handling after harvest.
Resource speakers from the Department of Agriculture Regional Field Office 10 shared technical guidance with the participating farmers.
The activity is the first training under DOST-10’s Science and Technology Community-Based Farm project for Talaandig communities.
For farmers, the value of the training will depend on whether they can apply the methods using resources available to them and sustain production beyond the initial sessions.
BHAII president Randy Uy said the association hopes the new knowledge will help its members improve their farming practices and eventually benefit consumers who buy their produce.
Although organic production is new to the group, Uy said DOST assistance would give members an opportunity to test whether they can successfully adopt the methods.
The project aims to improve soil health and farming practices while encouraging the production of healthier agricultural products.
However, the training alone does not establish whether participating farmers have already increased yields, reduced production costs or secured better prices for their vegetables.
Those outcomes will depend on continued technical support, access to seeds and other farm inputs, effective pest management, and reliable markets for their harvests.
DOST-10 has encouraged local government units and farmers’ associations across Northern Mindanao to explore partnerships for agricultural training and appropriate science and technology interventions.
For the Talaandig farmers in San Miguel, the next measure of success will be practical: whether the techniques work in their fields, whether the produce can compete in the market, and whether the additional effort translates into more stable livelihoods.
Follow-up information on production results, farm income and market access would help show whether the project is delivering lasting benefits to the farmers and their communities.
