Villar bats for organic fertilizer for healthy soil

Citing that bad practices in agriculture reduce nutrients in our soil which resulted to its 38 percent degradation, Senator Cynthia Villar has been pushing for composting and the use of organic fertilizer to protect our soil.

In her video message during the 71st anniversary of the Bureau of Soils and Waste Management (BSWM), Villar underscored the need to produce organic fertilizer from agricultural residues like rice straw, corn stover, animal manure, and others that can replace the inorganic/synthetic or chemical fertilizers.

"You are one with us in actively promoting organic farming methods especially producing organic fertilizer," Villar, chairperson of the Senate commitee on agriculture and food, told the BSWM.

"Since we have many biodegradable wastes in our environment, I have been transforming them into useful things. We have many of them in our markets and in our own homes, so there is a need for a facility for them near our farms trading posts and markets," added Villar.

She said the biodegradable wastes in our residential areas consist of kitchen and garden wastes.

"We only need to collect and convert them into organic fertilizers or compost which can be used by our farmers, most especially now that fertilizers are very expensive, and sometimes, they are not available for our farmers," explained Villar.

The senator, who also leads the Senate committee on environment and natural resources, related that she has personally caused the establishment of 117 composting facilities nationwide. Sixty seven of them are found in her hometown in Las Pinas while 50 are located at Vista Land Communities.

"Villar SIPAG is included in this advocacy. We are distributing for free our organic production to our farmers and plantitos/plantitas across the country," said Villar.

According to the senator, she started this advocacy in 2002 to help minimize waste and to encourage the use of biodegradable wastes for healthy soil.

She also mentioned that Republic Act 10068 or the Organic Agriculture Act was passed into law in 2010 which intends to expand organic agriculture in the Philippines. There is also RA 9003 or the Ecological Waste Management Act which mandates the segregation and reduction of wastes through recycling and composting.

"These two laws promote protection for our environment especially organic agriculture through composting," she said.

"To realize this, I need to remind always the BSWM because it is important that we give Composting Facilities for Biodegradable Waste (CFBW) to our farmers and local government in the whole country. I hope you would do this, particularly now that chemical fertilizers are so costly."

She said this project was also being supported by the DA-National Organic Agriculture Program, and the DA- High Value Crops Program. The CFBW consist of (1) unit of rotary composter and (1) unit shredding machine.

"It is really important that we take care of our soil to have productive harvest and lower hunger, food insecurity in our country," said Villar during the event with the theme, "Malusog na Lupa at Tubig na Sagana, Tungo sa Progresibong Agrikultura."

Villar, isinusulong ang organic fertilizer para sa malusog na lupa

Sanhi ng masasamang gawain na nakapagpababa ng 38% sa sustansya ng lupa, isinusulong ni Sen. Cynthia A. Villar ang composting at paggamit ng organic fertlizer upang pangalagaan ito.

Sa kanyang video message sa 71st anniversary ng Bureau of Soils and Waste Management (BSWM), binigyan diin ni Villar ang paggawa ng organic fertilizer mula sa agricultural residues gaya ng tangkay ng palay at mais, dumi ng mga hayop, at iba pang bagay na maaaring ipalit sa inorganic/synthetic o chemical fertilizers.

"You are one with us in actively promoting organic farming methods especially producing organic fertilizer," sabi ni Villar, chairperson ng Senate committee on agriculture and food, sa BSWM.

"Since we have many biodegradable wastes in our environment, I have been transforming them into useful things. We have many of them in our markets and in our own homes, so there is a need for a facility for them near our farms trading posts and markets," dagdag pa niya.

Ipinahayag ni Villar na puwedeng manggaling ang biodegradable wastes sa kusins at hardin ng ating bahay.

"We only need to collect and convert them into organic fertilizers or compost which can be used by our farmers most especially now that fertlizers are very expensive, and sometimes, they are not available for our farmers," paliwanag niya.

Sinabi pa ng senador, chairperson din ng Senate committee on environment and natural resources, na personal niyang ipinatayo ang 117 composting facilities sa buong kapuluan. Matatagpuan ang 67 sa mga ito sa kanyang bayan sa Las Pinas samantalang ang may 50 pa ay nasa Vista Land Communities.

"Villar SIPAG is included in this advocacy. We are distributing for free our organic production to our farmers plantitos/plantitas across the country," ani Villar.

Kanyang ipinahayag na sinimulan niya ang adbokasiyang ito noong 2002 upang makatulong na mabawasan ang basura at maghikayat sa paggamit ng biodegradable wastes para sa malusog na lupa.

Binanggit din niya na layunin ng Republic Act 10068 o ang Organic Agriculture Act na naisabatas noong 2010, na palawakin ang organic agriculture sa Pilipinas. Nagtatakda naman ang RA 9003 o Ecological Waste Management Act na paghiwalayin at bawasan ang basura sa pamamagitan ng recycling at composting.

"These two laws promote protection for our environment especially organic agriculture through composting," ayon kay Villar.

"To realize this, I need to remind always the BSWM because it is important that we give Composting Facilities for Biodegradable Waste (CFBW) to our farmers and local government in the whole country. I hope you would do this particularly now that chemical fertilizers are so costly."

Aniya, suportado ng DA-National Organic Agriculture Program at ng DA- High Value Crops Program ang proyektong ito.

Binubuo ang CFBW ng isang rotary composter at isang shredding machine.

"It is really important that we take care of our soil to have productive harvest and lower hunger, food insecurity in our country," sabi pa ni Villar sa naturang okasyon na may temang, "Malusog na Lupa at Tubig na Sagana, Tungo sa Progresibong Agrikultura."