14/09/2021
A Composting Facility for Biodegradable Waste (CFBW) was turned over to the Benguet State University (BSU) - Cordillera Organic Agriculture Research and Development Center (COARDC) from the Department of Agriculture-Bureau of Soils and Water Management (DA-BSWM) at the BSU Organic Demo Farm on August 31, 2021.
The set of composting facility includes a Shredder and Rotary Decomposer machine that can shorten the composting of biodegradable wastes. The facility was received by Mr. Alexander W. Fagyan, COARDC Director thru his Officer-In-Charged, Ms. Gennie B. Soyon on the day of turn-over. The demonstration on the operation of the facility was followed at the BSU- OA Demo Farm at Tabangaoen, Balili, La Trinidad, Benguet.
According to Fagyan, manual composting of biodegradable wastes takes four to six months before harvesting the compost but with the aid of the new composting facility, the OA Farm can now produce a maximum of 600-800kg of compost within 5-7 days. He further stated that the COARDC will take charge of the maintenance and operation of the facility, thus a shed will be built for the machines to secure it from rain.
Meanwhile, he is hoping for the addition of two laborers more since there are only two laborers doing vegetable production and maintenance of the demo farm. One will be joining the Facility Maintenance and Operation Training to be conducted by the DA-BSWM. The training will be held at the Agriculture Training Institute (ATI) at the BSU Compound on September 21-23, 2021.
The facility was turned over to BSU-COARDC in support of the “Promotion and Development of Organic Agriculture in the Philippines” and in accordance with the DA-BSWM mandate to manage and save soil and water resources and its capability to determine the appropriate technologies and practices that restore the inherent fertility of the soil.
