The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) and DOST-Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development (DOST-PCAARRD) showcased climate-smart agricultural technologies that help farmers improve productivity and adapt to climate-related challenges during the Technology to People (T2P) Media Conference held in Tarlac.
Unlike previous T2P conferences held in function halls, this year's event brought journalists directly to demonstration sites, allowing them to witness firsthand how the DOST-supported innovations are applied in actual farming conditions. The field demonstrations highlighted how years of R&D are translated into practical solutions that address the country's growing need for climate-resilient agriculture.
Featured during the conference were technologies under the Industry Level Collaborative Research and Development to Leverage Philippine Economy (i-CRADLE) Program and Project SARAI (Smarter Approaches to Reinvigorate Agriculture as an Industry in the Philippines), two DOST-funded and DOST-PCAARRD-monitored initiatives that promote science-based, climate-smart innovations for agriculture.
One of the featured technologies under the i-CRADLE Program was the combined application of the Automated Furrow Irrigation System (AFIS), developed by Dr. Marvin M. Cinense of the Central Luzon State University (CLSU), and Nutrio® biofertilizer, developed by Dr. Virginia M. Padilla of Fullmight Agricultural Corporation.
Implemented in partnership with the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA), the project was piloted in low-yielding sugarcane farms in Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao, where average production ranges from only 40 to 55 ton-cane per hectare, which is below the national average of 60 tons per hectare.
The sugarcane farms identified by SRA were from North Cluster Producers Cooperative (NCPC) in Tarlac; Batangas Sugarcane Planters Cooperative Marketing Association (BSPCMA); Hacienda Nalipay Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries (HANARBA) and Minuro Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries (MARBE) in Negros Occidental, and Cotabato Mill District Development Council (CMDDC).
The technology package produced promising results in the NCPC farm in Tarlac, increasing sugarcane yield by 54.7%, sugar recovery by 19.2%, and overall sugar production by 83.2%.
Farmer-beneficiary Marlon Gamboa admitted that he initially hesitated to adopt the innovation. As a precaution, he left one hectare of his sugarcane field untreated while applying the technology to the rest of his farm. However, the higher yield from the treated area convinced him of the effectiveness of AFIS and Nutrio® biofertilizer, encouraging him to adopt the technologies with greater confidence.
Complementing these productivity-enhancing technologies was the project, Smarter Approaches to Reinvigorate Agriculture as an Industry in the Philippines (SARAI)’s technology, the Automatic Weather Station (AWS) developed by the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB). Project SARAI is currently being rolled out nationwide through the program, SARAI Centralized National Hub for Regional Operations or SARAI CeNTRO.
The AWS of Project SARAI, which was also featured in the T2P, provides farmers with real-time weather information including rainfall, humidity, wind speed, wind direction, soil temperature, and soil moisture data. These science-based advisories enable farmers to make timely decisions on irrigation, planting schedules, and other farm operations.
“Agriculture today can no longer rely on traditional practices alone, but must be complemented by science, technology, and innovation,” said Dr. Reynaldo V. Ebora, DOST-PCAARRD Executive Director.
He added that the T2P Media Conference allows media partners to witness firsthand how DOST's research outputs are helping farmers overcome challenges that limit agricultural productivity—a tangible manifestation of "Agham na Ramdam."
These innovations were products of years of research and development, according to Dr. Juanito T. Batalon, DOST-PCAARRD Deputy Executive Director for R&D. Project SARAI started as an R&D initiative in 2013, which is now more than a decade of work by UPLB and DOST-PCAARRD. Dr. Batalon, likewise said that the application of Nutrio® biofertilizer and AFIS started in 2023, but the development of each technology started years earlier, demonstrating that each technology goes through a rigorous process of evaluation and testing prior to commercialization.
During the open forum, members of the media raised concerns on how farmers can be encouraged to adopt new technologies despite their hesitation to depart from conventional farming practices.
Responding to the concern, Dr. Leah J. Buendia, DOST Undersecretary for Research and Development, acknowledged that uncertainty is experienced not only by farmers but also by innovators introducing new technologies.
"The first thing to do when we're afraid is to take the first step," Buendia said, emphasizing the importance of embracing innovation to strengthen Philippine agriculture.
Through the T2P Media Conference, DOST reaffirmed its commitment to bringing science, technology, and innovation closer to the people by demonstrating research that delivers practical and sustainable solutions for Philippine agriculture.