DAHIL dumadami ang ani at kita kapag malusog ang lupa, muling hinimok ni Senadora Cynthia A. Villar ang mga magsasakang Pinoy na paigtingin ang composting o paggawa ng organic fertilizer gamit ang kitchen at garden wastes.
Base rin ito sa panawagang suporta ng isang grupo ng magsasaka para mabawasan ang pagkadepende sa imported fertilizer sa pamamagitan ng pagpaparami sa local production sa gitna ng mabilis na pagtaas ng global prices nito.
Ayon kay Villar, chairperson ng Senate committee on agriculture and good, kailangang protektahan ang lupa laban sa pagkasira upang matiyak ang agricultural growth at food sustainability.
Aniya, mahalaga ang malusog na lupa sa food security dahil 95 percent ng ating kinakain ay direkta o ‘di man direktang nanggagaling sa lupa.
“Because of this, soil health is important for agricultural productivity, which in turn will affect food security. And the solution is as simple as putting nutrients back to the soul through composting and going organic,” diin ni Villar.
Sa Senado, isinusulong ni Villar ang legislations para pangalagaan ang lupa sa pamamagitan ng sustainable at organic na pamamaraan.
Nagpatupad din siya sa mga komunidad sa buong bansa ng mga proyekto at programang nagsusulong sa wastong waste management partikular ang kitchen at garden wastes na maaaring gawing composts o organic fertilizers.
“By providing all the necessary support and assistance to our farmers, their cooperatives and other groups, we are encouraing them on composting, using readily avaialble sources like wastes coming our own kitchen and garden,” anang Nacionalista Party senator.
“In creating our own fertilizers, aside from having a steady supply of cheap fertilizers, we are also saving money which farmers can use for other purposes to better improve their harvest and earnings. Imported fertilizers are much expensive than those locally-produced. So we are really asking our farmers to do composting,” dagdag pa ni Villar.
Dismayado rin siya sa mga iregularidad ng pagbili ng fertilizers. “In some ways, this has been a root of corruption.”
Bilang advocate ng composting, sinabihan din ni Villar ang Bureau of Soils and Water Management (BSWM) na magbigay ng Composting Facilities for Biodegradable Waste (CFBW) machines sa local government units at farmers’ groups para makagawa ng kanilang fertilizers sa pamamagitan ng composting.
“As a requirement, the BSWM conducts Training on the capacity enhancement of beneficiaries on the operation of composting facility. This would also ensure there is efficient segregation of waste for conversion into useful organic fertilizer to reduce the cost of fertilizer,” paliwanag ng senadora.VICKY CERVALES