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Vol. 2 No. 12
June 16-30, 2001
Balanced fertilization strategy found profitable
by Junelyn S. de la Rosa

In 1997, the Bureau of Soils and Water Management (BSWM) launched the Balanced Fertilization Strategy (BFS). BFS is a strategy that aims to provide location-specific recommendations to reduce the effects of variations in soil and climatic conditions in various rice-producing regions in the Philippines.

Balanced fertilization is an optimum combination of organic and inorganic fertilizers. Organic fertilizers include commercial products and locally available farm manure, compost ect. This combination is called a "soil fertilizer group". There are seven soil fertilizer groups used in irrigated ricelands.

Initially, the BFS project was first implemented on 141 demonstration sites in the first cropping season and 131 sites in the second cropping season (1997-1998). Each site was about 0.5 ha in size.

Promising results from these sites led to the implementation of this technology on compact farms of 10 and then 20 hectares.

A comparative cost and return analysis was done between sites using the BFS and the conventional method. The economic contribution of this approach at the farm, community and national level was evaluated.

The agronomic results of irrigated rice production in five fertilizer groups were classified into three categories: low, medium and high yield, The average national data for each fertilizer group was used in this study as the basis for economic evaluation of the impact of balanced fertilization.

On the farm level, the balanced fertilization strategy gave yields of at least 5 to 6 mt/ha on demonstration sites in each of the five fertilizer groups. This represents an additional yield of about 0.39 to 1.47 mt/ha compared to conventional practices.

Farming communities from the demonstration sites realized aggregate additional farm earnings of US$19,398, from the additional yield of 118 mt of unpolished rice. The urban community benefited from the extra rice supply, which was equivalent to a year consumption for 746 persons.

On the national level, the BFS demonstration sites covered a total area of 136 ha which contributed US$24,335 worth of rice.

Results showed that the BFS demonstration project is economically viable. On a per site basis, it was found that the fertilizer group 4 brought the greatest benefit to the farmers, in terms of rice yield and its corresponding monetary value.

However, there is a declining net benefit per dollar investment in fertilizer group 4. Researchers say that these results are not discouraging if the environmental results of the BFS technology are also considered. A comparison of the changes in the soil organic matter content before and after implementing the BFS in the first cropping season showed an increase in organic matter content in some sites.

Since the study was implemented, the fertilizer recommendation groups have steadily shown significant increase in yield over the traditional practice and the sustained high yield.

Initially, the BFS was a supposed to be a three-year study but promising results encouraged researchers to widen the scope and time of the study. Today, the BFS is already implemented in all the regions in the Philippines.

The researchers also believe that the positive results of the BFS and the many success stories they have documented provide sufficient basis for the formulation and implementation of an organic-based rice production program.

Finally, as an incentive to farmers to increase their income, the researchers have introduced a value-added composting approach via biogas and mushroom production, compost making and liquid fertilizer production.

June 16-30 2001 Articles:

:: BAR sends off 1st batch of PhD scholars
:: Balanced fertilization strategy found profitable
:: Developing a culture of excellence in BPI
:: BPI reviews 15 completed studies
:: BAR grants P5M for the establishment of DA-RFRDC region 6
:: FIAC to initiate R&D project for corn and legumes farmers
:: ERP challenges FIDA: transform into a modern-age organization
:: JICA experts to visit BAR for possible linkup
:: Philfruits, Philcorn establishment plan presented
:: PinoyFarmer business development program: an update
:: Sec Montemayor enforces three indicators to solve poverty

::: More June 2001 articles :::