Every planting season, usual
problem of a farmer where to obtain quality seeds and the amount needed for
accessing it.
This is also the usual
dilemma experienced by Gregio Basan or fondly called by his friends as Nong
Gregorio, a rice farmer of Rosario, Agusan del Sur.
However, the said situation
he said slowly fades away as he is now a recipient of the Community Seed
Banking (CSB) of the Department of Agriculture.
Nong Gregorio said that CSB
program greatly helps him in cutting input expenses of his farm in purchasing
seeds which costs P1,200.00 per bag of 40 kilos.
“Palasamat gyud ko sa CSB sa
DA kay nakuhaan ang akong gasto sa binhi, maayo na lang ang akong savings
ipalit nako sa ubang panginahanglan” (I am so thankful of the CSB of DA because
it helps me in cutting my expenses in buying seeds, therefore I can use my
savings to other needs) , Nong Gregorio happily said.
Nong Gregorio said that he
received 3.5 kilos of starter seeds on the first cropping season of 2012 and he
planted it on his farm yielding 8 bags at 40 kilos per bag.
Out of his yield, he repaid
5 kilos to his association and the remaining he planted it back to his farm
this last cropping season.
He said that seeds from CSB
program really help him and his fellow farmers in his place.
Agripinoy Caraga Regional
Seeds Coordinator June Anthony Ouano said that CSB program was introduced in
the region since 2011 and it was mainstreamed through identified CSB managers
from various farmer groups.
In Caraga there were 561 Irrigators
Associations who received registered seeds which served as their starter seeds.
The distribution scheme was
initially free for 20 kilos for each qualified IA with a repayment of 40 kilos
after harvest which will be distributed to the next in line beneficiaries. This has a good multiplier effect for quality
seeds in the region.
For the upland traditional
rice seeds there were 86 FA members who availed. They may opt to pay in kind (palay) or pay in
seeds at the rate of 1: 1.5 to 2 kilos repayment scheme.
CSB is aiming to increase
and promote farmers access to quality seeds through a sustainable
community-based seed bank that is organized, developed and managed by farmers,
Irrigators Association (IAs), Farmers Association (FAs), Upland Farmers
Organization (UFOs), Peoples Organization (POs)
and Non – Government Organization (NGOs). (Aurell P. Arais/RAFID DA
CARAGA)
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1 comment:
For family protection using hybrid seed is most important to use. Also it produces various effective advantages in term of long storage. If you really want to take the design of non hybrid seeds with advantages then have touch it out.
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