FFS LAUNCHED IN LANAO DEL SUR’S THIRD LARGEST CORN-PRODUCING TOWN
Aimed at equipping the corn farmers with modern and proven effective technologies, the four-month long training dubbed as Farmers’ Field School (FFS) was launched by the MAFAR in Barangay Wago, Lumbayanague, Lanao del Sur on November 4, 2020.
Funded from the Bangsamoro Appropriations Act (BAA) 2020, the rigid FFS training activities shall be participated by 29 farmers who are to attend weekly classes that will be conducted by local facilitators from the ministry.
Ammal D. Solaiman, MAFAR Deputy Minister (DM) and MAFAR-Lanao del Sur Acting Provincial Head, said Lumbayanague ranks third in terms of corn production next to Wao and Amai Manabilang in Lanao del Sur.
Solaiman also noted that the town is a conflict-affected area where the community people experienced recurrent evacuation as what happened in the municipality of Butig.
She encouraged the farmers who are also ex-MILF combatants, to take the project seriously and consider it as a source of added knowledge and skills in improving their production and income in corn.
“We request our facilitators to insert lectures on upland rice production and techniques in intercropping of mungbean and peanut so the farmers will have added income. After their four-month training, we will organize them into cooperatives”, added DM Solaiman.
For the farmers to understand the program more, Akmad A. Abdullah, Corn and Cassava Focal Person, informed them that the FFS is part of Minister Dr Mohammad S. Yacob’s support to the BARMM of bringing the government closer to the communities.
Abdullah said the FFS shall feature participatory field activities, discussions, and data processing from land preparation, pest and fertilizer managenent, to harvesting and all significant corn production stages in between.
“One-hectare demo farm, that will serve as learning field, shall be established near the training center with seeds and fertilizers to be provided by the MAFAR and each of the farmer-participants shall be given corn seeds so they could also plant”, said Abdullah.
Sultan Hadji Kusain Solaiman, Chief of Staff of the Deputy Chief Minister Alim B. Solaiman, graced the FFS launching program, welcomed the officials and visitors, and expressed his gratefulness to the team for conducting the activity, which he finds very significant to the Bangsamoro communities.
The open forum revealed that the farmers are resolved to plant white corn as it gets higher market value compared with yellow corn, which the ministry tries to promote as it yields more based on research and demonstrations at the farmers’ fields.
Amer D. Magarang, Research Outreach Station Superintendent in Lanao del Sur, remarked that white corn’s average yield ranges from 2.7 to 3.7 metric tons (mt) per hectare while yellow corn can yield as much as 8 mt per hectare.
With the vast land suited for corn production, Lumbayanague has the potential for seed production that may cater the needs of the ministry and the farmers for quality corn seeds.
The activity was also attended by Abdul Gaphar L. Sansarona, MAFAR-Lanao del Sur Operations Chief, Jamel D. Bacaraman, MAFAR Provincial Focal Person, Raina Sambrano, Provincial Corn Focal Person, Omair Radia, Provincial Livestock Coordinator, Al Hussein O. Domaot, Provincial Veterinarian, Akima A. Dimapinto, MAFAR Municipal Officer, Jamil D. Amer, Research Technical Staff, Salembai A. Abdullah, Regional Information and Training Officer, Engr. Fahmi U. Acob, Corn Program Assistant, and other MAFAR and barangay officials and staff.