| Special Features |
|
CLSU Organic Salad Vegetable Farm: Showcasing low-cost, modern technologies in high-value vegetable production
|
| By: Desiree A. Rodriguez |
|
Producing high-value vegetables using modern technologies at a low cost - This is what the CLSU Organic Salad Vegetable Farm showcases.
According to Dr. Armando Espino Jr., project officer, the two-hectare rice land which was converted to a vegetable farm is now planted to high-value crops such as lettuce, salad and cherry tomatoes, bell and sweet peppers, cauliflower, cucumber, broccoli, onion and basil.
With modern technologies utilized in the project, growing these vegetables which are commonly grown in highlands where temperature is low was made possible in a lowland area like Central Luzon. Principally, these technologies are inexpensive, a feature most favorable to local farmers, Dr. Espino added.
As a techno-demo model farm, vegetables grown in the farm are of superior varieties. Also, to achieve the project’s objectives, one primary activity is the holding of seminars and hands-on trainings on the “Production of Salad Vegetables and other High-value Crops under Tropical Lowland Condition” participated by farmers and interested individuals. In fact, there are now 31 farmer-cooperators who have adopted the Salad Vegetable Production Program from all over the Science City of Muñoz, Cabanatuan City, Aliaga and San Jose City. CLSU has also identified linkages with the market sector for different crops grown in the farm since this is one of its focuses in expanding its network of partners. These and other pertinent activities are also closely monitored, evaluated and documented by NEDA III Regional Director Dr. Remigio Mercado with ARD Dr. Lynnette Bautista and their staff.
Students are also direct beneficiaries of the project. Eight BS Agricultural Engineering students with courses in Soil and Water Conservation for instance have conducted some laboratory activities in the farm. This is part of their hands-on training in producing tomato and sweet pepper using protected cultivation practices. Another 20 students were also involved in constructing shadehouses for lettuce. Several graduating BS Agriculture students were also assisted by the project in seedling preparation of lettuce. The farm also serves as an experimental area for their research activities.
Some of the technologies being applied in the farm are protected cultivation, modern irrigation and drainage systems. Soil beds where some vegetables are planted are elevated to a height of 30 cm during rainy seasons to avoid drowning of crops to rainwater. Canals are also built to avoid flooding which may cause damage to the vegetables. Water supply is maximized by using water sprinklers and drippers instead of conventional methods in irrigating crops. Growth of unwanted weeds is controlled by covering soil beds with plastic mulch. Lettuce, a vegetable with very low resistance to heat, is grown in the farm using low-cost greenhouse technology.
|
|
|
