ISARD Demonstration Farms in Inopacan, Leyte launched

7 October 2016

ISARD Growers, LGU Inopacan ISARD Team, VSU ISARD Team, and SEARCA ISARD Team in a Tilapia Fishpond Demonstration Farm with Dr. Friedhelm Göltenboth the father of rainforestation.

INOPACAN, LEYTE, Philippines – In line with the goal to attain food sufficiency and reduce poverty incidence in the municipality through Inclusive and Sustainable Agricultural and Rural Development (ISARD), demonstration farms were launched on 28 September 2016. These demonstration farms include a vegetable farm, a tilapia fishpond, and two jackfruit farms.

A ceremonial tree planting led by Dr. Bessie Burgos - the Program Manager for Research and Development of SEARCA, Dr. Othello Capuno - Vice President for Research and Development of VSU, and the municipal administrator representing Mayor Silvestre Lumarda, with the attendance of the members of the Inopacan Jackfruit Growers Association marked the launch of the demonstration farms.

Ceremonial Tree Planting led by Dr. Bessie Burgos and Dr. Othello Capuno with Prof. Rolando Bello and the jackfruit growers.

The activity was preceded by a series of farm visits and exposure trips by the growers in established vegetable and jackfruit farms as part of the Exposure to Experts and ‘Experienced’ scheme of building capacities among the grower cooperators of the ISARD pilot project. The demonstration farms were established through the joint efforts of the Visayas State University (VSU), the Local Government of Inopacan, the Visayas Consortium for Agriculture, Aquatic and Resources Program, and SEARCA under the pilot project Strengthening Linkages among Farmers, Government, and Industry Sector through ISARD.

The vegetable farm is situated in a 1000 square meter plot and planted to okra, alugbati and eggplant. Improvements in the demonstration farm will be introduced including a low cost protective cover technology developed through an Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR)-funded project at VSU, considering the continuous rains experienced in the area.

Mr. Ramil Paguipo – vegetable farmer cooperator and Mr. Rolando Albesa – tilapia grower

The tilapia fishponds were built in sequence along a stream where crystal clear water flowed from a nearby spring. Fingerlings were introduced by batches starting from June 2016 from a hatchery project of the VSU supported by the district representative Cong. Jose Carlos Cari. These are expected to be harvested by November 2016 and bring added income to the local farmers.

The jackfruit demonstration farms are located along sloping areas in the higher elevation of Inopacan, Leyte where there is good drainage. Seedlings were sourced from the Department of Agriculture (DA) Abuyog Experiment Station in Abuyog, Leyte and will be reimbursed on a ‘Plant now, Pay later’ scheme as agreed upon by the grower-cooperators. The demonstration farm is intended to expand production of jackfruit in Inopacan in response to the increasing demand for vacuum fried and dehydrated jackfruit. (Prof. Rolando T. Bello and Ms. Angelic Reglos)