May 21, 2025

Corn farmers in Tabuk, Kalinga in the Philippines set to gain from innovative yield-enhancing technology

The Mallong Hillside Farmers Association (FA) in Barangay Cudal, Tabuk City in Kalinga province was selected as the cooperator for the Adaptive Balanced Fertilisation Strategy (ABFS) project aimed to enhance corn production.

The ABFS is a science-based farming method focusing on the use of cost-efficient and proper combinations of organic and inorganic fertilisers to sustain the increases in crop productivity.

Implemented by the Department of Agriculture-Bureau of Soils and Water Management (DA-BSWM) with local stakeholders, the project aims to showcase ABFS technology to improve soil fertility and soil health for sustainable corn productivity.

"The country's national corn production is very low, and we believe that ABFS will be able to significantly improve our productivity. Our place here in Sitio Mallong, Cudal is privileged to be the first beneficiary of ABFS in the whole Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR)," said Visitacion V. Castillo, alternate regional focal person for the Cordillera of the DA-BSWM's Soil and Water Team.

Under the project, members of the Mallong Hillside FA will receive hybrid corn seeds, 1,000 bags of organic fertilisers, and 1,475 bags of inorganic fertilisers including 900 bags of ammonium phosphate, 275 bags of urea, and 300 bags of muriate of potash. They will also receive capacitation training, among other benefits.

The ABFS Project covers 100 hectares of corn farms under the Mallong Hillside FA which will serve as technology-demonstration sites to showcase the corn farming technology.

Mallong Hillside FA president Herbert Olosan gave his commitment that their group will adhere to the protocols of the project. He also expressed optimism that the corn technology will help improve their farming practice, increase their yield, and boost their income.

Kalinga is the top producer of corn in the CAR, contributing 55,549 metric tonnes or 34.1% of the region's entire production in 2024, according to the data of the Philippine Statistics Authority-Kalinga.

-      Philippine Information Agency