The Department of Agriculture IV-CALABARZON (DA-4A) Corn Program, in coordination with the Municipality of the Alfonso, Cavite, launched the Farmers’ Field School (FFS) on Integrated Pest Management (IPM) on June 25.
It was attended by 16 corn farmers of Alfonso, Cavite.
The goal of this planting season-long training is to help the corn farmers achieve higher yields by teaching them the best pest management technique that suits their area.
The farmers were divided into five groups. Each group will try one pest management technique during the whole planting season.
These techniques are: the using neem leaves for pest repulsion; the detasseling; the IPM; the using Trichogramma, a type of insect that eats corn pests; and the farmers’ practice where the traditional ways will be applied.
They will monitor the progress and will determine which pest management techniques are the most effective so they can apply them in the next planting seasons.
“Napakahalaga po ng training na ito dahil karamihan po sa amin dito ay mga kumbensiyunal na magsasaka na gumagamit ng mga sinaunang technique o gumagamit lang ng pestisidyo para magpaalis ng mga peste sa pananim tulad ng fall army worm,” Pepito M. Vislenio, corn farmer participant, said.
Aside from the pests management techniques, land preparation, corn production, new farming technologies, post-harvest handling, and marketing will be discussed during the training. #### (Reina Beatriz P. Peralta, DA-4A RAFIS)
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