Food,
livelihood prospects for 3ID personnel
By Niño Manaog
Extension Associate
Jamindan, Capiz—In
response to the request by the 3rd Infantry (Spearhead) Division (3ID) of the Philippine Army based in Camp Macario Peralta Jr.
here, the Capiz State University (CapSU)’s Research,
Development and Extension (RDE) Office fielded its agriculture experts to conduct a lecture demonstration on integrated farming
practices to military personnel and their dependents on Dec. 2–3, 2014.
For two days, Prof.
Ramonita Caralde, agriculture instructor at the CapSU
Burias Campus and Mr. Ceferino Lizada, agricultural technician II of the Extension Institute, lectured on integrated farming practices to
some 40 military personnel including their wives based in Camp Peralta
In
particular, participants worked in groups to prepare foliar fertilizers—including
fish amino acid, fermented fruit juice, fermented plant juice, and calcium
phosphate—using materials sourced out from their own locations.
On
the second day, after being taught the basics in vermicomposting, land preparation
and planting and other related practices, soldiers and their dependents planted
vegetables (pechay) on the plots that they also prepared.
According to
Lieutenant Col. Isidro Purisima, 3ID’s chief of staff, they sought the help of CapSU because they believed that its experts are the most
qualified to help them maximize their natural resources to advocate organic
farming and production. 3ID also seeks to provide food for themselves even as
it also promises prospects for livelihood for their community.
Foremost,
Purisima stressed that part of their advocacy is encouraging their own
personnel to maximize the use of available lands from which they can also get
their own food. Camp
Peralta
For
this project to succeed, Purisima noted, it is best that the soldiers have a
sense of ownership of the project they are involved with. He added that the
initiative also sought to only “jumpstart” and allow for a bigger and more
expansive partnership with the University.
.JPG) |
Prof. Ramonita Caralde (far right), agriculture faculty at CapSU Burias Campus, shares to the military personnel the benefits of using foliar fertilizers in organic vegetable production during a two-day lecture demo Dec. 2-3 at Camp Macario Peralta Jr. in Jaena Norte, Jamindan, Capiz. The capability-building initiative sought to jumpstart the re-greening program of the military camp which also seeks to augment the Army's food and livelihood prospects. Niño Manaog/Extension |
