Subject Country: Caraga, Mindanao, Philippines

1. SRI Trial – Organic Fertilizer Production Process & Ratooning At the personal farm of the Regional Irrigation Manager (RIM) for NIA Region 13 in Caraga, Mindanao

2. The increasing price of inorganic fertilizer and the increasing demand of soil to maintain plant growth poses a major problem to farmers. At Engr. Bong Salazar’s farm, organic fertilizers are produced using the poultry waste with chicken dung mixed with other biodegradable materials. Organic fertilizer, aside from increasing the yield per hectare, improves the soil condition by sustaining the growth of microorganisms. Continued use of organic fertilizer encourages the return and proliferation of the friendly bacteria and microorganisms that will sustain soil fertility and consequently vigorous as well as healthy rice plant growth. ORGANIC FERTILIZER PRODUCTION PROCESS Preparation of materials like chicken dung, banana pulp, other waste, and biosec for the production of organic fertilizer under the supervision of Ms. Salazar, at right.

3. ORGANIC FERTILIZER PRODUCTION PROCESS (Continued) Air drying is completed within 3-5 days. Subsequently, crushing and grading are done before sacking and storage of the material prior to use by farmers as organic fertilizer. Fermentation / decomposition, done in the ground just beside the drying house, takes place within 30 days. The matured, fermented, and decomposed materials are then transferred to the drying house for air drying.

4. ORGANIC FERTILIZER PRODUCTION PROCESS (Continued) Engr. Bong Salazar explaining to farmers visiting his farm how the organic fertilizer is processed. Salient beneficial features of organic fertilizer were discussed jointly to arrive at common understanding as well as to gain acceptance by the farmers.

5. SRI Ratooning Experience With the initial SRI crop at the personal farm of the Regional Irrigation Manager (RIM) of NIA Region 13 in Caraga

6. One possible practical means to increase farmers’ opportunities for generating additional income with minimum cost while waiting for the next planting season is through ratooning . Ratooning is second- generation plant regrowth. After harvest, the rice stalks are cut about 10 cm above the ground, and the plants are allowed re-sprout. With proper management, and no further cost for seeds or labor for land preparation, ratooning can produce in about 45 days, more or less (and easily), an additional 50 bags of paddy rice per hectare. SRI field 5 days after rice stalks were cut 10 cm above the ground.

7. Ratooned SRI plants at 15 days Ratooned SRI plants at 25 days. Note that panicle initiation and flowering started after 20- and 25-days, respectively.

8. Only the healthy ratooned rice stalks sprout and produce a good crop stand. Those stalks that were previously affected and/or damaged by pests and diseases did not sprout. With ratooning, there is no requirement of seed, no land preparation, and no transplanting. Harvesting is possible at 45 days with a yield of about 50 bags per hectare.