A Farmer’s Field Day for the Science and Technology Community-Based Farm (STCBF) Project on Improving Production of Quality Bamboo Poles in Ilocos Norte was held recently at the San Jera Taguiporo, Brgy. Salsalamagui, Vintar, Ilocos Norte.
The project is a joint effort of the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development of the Department of Science and Technology (PCAARRD-DOST), Mariano Marcos State University- Ilocos Agriculture, Aquatic and Resources Research and Development Consortium (MMSU-ILAAARRDEC), and the local government units (LGUs) of Ilocos Norte.
The Technology Field Day was conducted to promote the package of technology for bamboo and to highlight the accomplishments of the project, including the experiences of bamboo farmer cooperators, through the adoption of the said technologies for the production of quality bamboo poles in Ilocos Norte.
One hundred sixty-seven representatives from PCAARRD, MMSU-ILARRDEC, LGUs, and bamboo farmers from 9 different towns, as far as Alaminos, Pangasinan attended the event.
Spearheaded by the Technology Transfer and Promotion Division of PCAARRD, the STCBF initiative is a cluster participatory project management that showcases the effectiveness of S&T interventions intended to empower farmers by improving their productivity through training and demonstrations.
The Package of Technology offered by this S&T Community-Based Farms (STCBF) project includes: (1) one-node cutting technology for the production of bamboo planting materials (or propagules); (2) the 7m x 7m bamboo plantation establishment for Kawayan tinik; and (3) the PoPeYe technology for the rehabilitation and management especially of natural bamboo stands or clumps.
Other commodities with ongoing STCBF projects include mango, carrot and other vegetables, root crops like camote and gabi, coffee, langka, coconut, cacao, carabao’s milk, bamboo, rubber, banana, tilapia, ulang, seaweed, and rice.
A brief tour of the bamboo sites was conducted to validate the package of technology’s contribution in the success of the bamboo pole production in Ilocos Norte. (Christie A. Surara, DOST-PCAARRD S&T Media Service)
