Modern Corn Cultivation Technology Transfer in Caraga Region, Philippines (Year 2)

2009-03-24

CORN IS THE SECOND MOST IMPORTANT CROP in the Philippines. It comprises about 70 percent of livestock mixed feeds in the country, and is the preferred main staple food of about 12 million Filipinos. With the corn-livestock sector contributing 16 percent of the country's gross value added (GVA) in agriculture, corn production has become an important source of livelihood for many small-scale farmers, with some 600,000 farm households directly dependent on corn production for their subsistence.

About 60 percent of the Philippines' annual corn production is from Mindanao, and of this island's six main corn production areas, the Caraga region has the lowest average yield production of 1.77 MT/hectare in 2005. This is mainly attributed to low adoption of modern corn production technologies and use of low-yielding traditional/ open-pollinated varieties by the farmers.

The FFTC-Philippines Technical Cooperation

There is enormous potential for the Caraga region to develop a comprehensive corn production program toward providing improved livelihood opportunities for its small-scale corn farmers. To realize this potential, FFTC and the Department of Agriculture (DA), Philippines; the Northern Mindanao State Institute of Science and Technology (NORMISIST); and the Manila Economic and Cultural Office (MECO) launched a three-year (2006-2008) agricultural technical assistance program that aims to extend modern cultivation techniques and introduce hybrid corn varieties to corn farmers in the Caraga Region.

With the technical assistance of scientists from Taiwan, the overall goal of this technology transfer program is to improve the productivity and achieve sustainable production of quality corn in the Caraga region through the extension of modern cultivation techniques and introduction of hybrid corn varieties.

Significant Achievements of Year 2 Implementation

On its second year of implementation, the Project Management Team conducted a survey of the Caraga region and identified ten (10) sites for demonstration of the Taiwan corn technology package involving farmer-cooperators. The corn production technology trial was conducted in a one-hectare demonstration site located in the selected farmers' fields. Seeds of corn hybrids (TN-20, PGH 95-5, PGH 9501-1 and PWX 90-3) were provided to the farmer-cooperators. Along with the seeds, the Taiwan corn technology package was introduced to serve as a guide in the technical aspect of corn cultivation. The farmer-cooperators managed the day-to-day activities of the farm while the Project Management Team conducted monitoring and evaluation every two weeks from corn sowing until harvest.

Training of farmers and agricultural technicians directly involved in corn production in the region was also conducted. Farmers' Forum and Farmers' Field Day were held primarily to showcase the corn demonstration farms and to enable corn farmers and technicians to have a personal interaction with the corn specialists from Taiwan. These activities were done to allow corn farmers and technicians to see the performance of the Taiwan corn technology package in the various sites in Caraga region.

In visits to the demonstration farms, the farmer-cooperators and the technicians shared their experiences on the corn technology package from Taiwan, while some farmer-cooperators showed technologies that they developed or modified through years of corn farming. A training on "Modern Corn Production Technology Package" was also held to reinforce the knowledge/learning of corn farmers and technicians. The training likewise included discussions on how farmers can produce their own seeds through hybridization.

Based on the project's second year of implementation, the following conclusions were drawn:

Planting hybrids increased corn production in the Caraga region. All four hybrids used in the farmer-cooperators' farms showed promising field performance despite some location-specific environmental stresses. Planting time, however, should be carefully studied to avoid harsh climatic factors and the attack of corn borer.
The interplay between the corn varieties' potentials and the environmental conditions prevailing in any planting season must be carefully assessed to serve as basis in scheduling planting to maximize production.
Delays in the application of fertilizer due to lack of or excessive water in the field resulted to yield reduction. Technology on irrigating cornfields needs to be disseminated to corn farmers.
New yellow and white corn hybrids showed promising field performance under Caraga condition. However, the interaction between planting time and location-specific conditions should be evaluated to determine further the adaptability of these corn hybrids.
Technology dissemination through training, field visits, and farmers' techno-forum are vital in updating farmers on the corn farming technologies as well as on possible markets for their produce.

Future Perspectives

The initial achievements of the project in promoting modern corn cultivation technologies have mobilized Caraga corn farmers to form small farmers' clusters for greater access to corn-related programs. To further encourage the farmer clusters to continuously plant corn, seed supply should be accessible to them.

Sustained agricultural technical assistance program is expected to further improve the productivity and achieve sustainable production of quality corn in the Caraga region, especially through the production of F1 corn hybrid seeds and introduction of small-farm machineries under a cooperative system.