Why you should start goat raising? Here are the good reasons including making money without the need of a quick payday loans:

Eventhough few were seriously raising goat, the poor farmer’s livestock, is a hot item in agribusiness. Prospects are bright for the enterprising individual to cash on the great demand of goat meat and milk, locally and in abroad, especially the Muslim population. Here in the Philippines, many Filipinos are now learning how to earn good money through direct selling business selling goat’s milk.

Goat can be tapped as one of the main sources of milk and meat in the country aside from cows and carabaos. These small ruminants could potentially provide the nutritional requirements of poor people in the rural areas who could not afford to buy expensive cow’s milk. A fully developed goat industry could also reduce the country’s expenses on importation of milk and meat products. And it is easy to raise and require small capital than cattle production.

A goat when raised for milk can produce an average of one to two liters of milk daily. The best breed for milk purposes is the Anglo-Nubian.

Upgraded goat raising can be viable business venture for farm families, budding entrepreneurs and young farmers. This is one of the many agribusiness projects recommended by Senator Ramon Magsaysay to engage in for those who want to participate to the Young Farmers Program (YFP). As production of upgraded goats requires minimal initial investment and is not risky, it could be an attractive business venture among rural farm families and budding entrepreneurs.

In starting a profitable goat raising business, one has to have the following production inputs: For backyard operation, the investment includes a goat house and breeding stocks. The operational expenses include veterinary medicines, vaccines, concentrated, additional feed supplement.

For commercial or large-scale operation, the fixed investments include land, goat house, fences, pasture area, water pump, feeding trough, spade, wheel barrow and ropes. Stocks include breeding does and breeding bucks. Operating expenses include veterinary medicines, drugs, vaccines, feed supplements and goat rations, labor, repair and maintenance of goat house, fences, equipment and pasture.

If an investor is to engage in sale of breeders, investments include pure or upgraded Nubian, Toggenburg or Boer buck which costs P7,500 – P12,000/head plus native or upgraded does which cost P1,500 – P4,000/head. An investor could sell his produced upgraded breeders at P3,000 – P12,500/head.

For investors who desire to engage in the sale of goat meat, there is a need to invest in one upgrade Boer for every 25 does. Live goat for sale commands a price ranging from P120 – P180/kilo or minimum of P4,500/head.
To raise goat for commercial milk production, pure or upgraded goats of the Anglo Nubian or Saanen breed is recommended as breeder buck. Goat of this breed could produce 0.7 – 2 liters daily in 215 – 250 days of milking.

Goat raising is highly profitable. With minimal capital investment of P67,250 for 25-doe level; P174,500 for 50-doe level; or P349,000 for 100-doe level, positive net income and return on investment (ROI) are realized, even as early as the first year. The ROI for five year is 67 percent from a 25-doe level operation under semi-confinement scheme and 60 percent from 50-doe and 100-doe level operations under pure confinement system. Payback period is two years.

Though, others can go into this business on a much smaller capital. A farm with one male goat and 10 does can be started with between P30,000 – P40,000. A big part of the capital will go to buying goats. An eight month-old male mestizo breeder goat costs around P7,000. With just one male, you can have 10 females which cost P2,000 each for a total of P20,000, according to Angelina Mendoza of Lakeview Farms in Tarlac City.

Goat production requires simple facilities and level of management. However, for a goat enterprise to be viable and successful, careful planning is imperative. The success of a goat enterprise will primarily depend on the kind and type of animals used as foundation stocks. It is important to choose goat breeds and strains that are adaptable to Philippine condition.

One good thing about goat raising is that improved technologies are now available. These include proper housing, use of improved forage crops, pasture management, control of parasites and diseases, nutrition and others aspects of the business.

There is surge in demand for goats. Although total goat inventory in the country is steadily increasing at more than two percent per year and the demand for breeder stocks is on the rise, still there is not enough supply to meet the current demands because there are few Filipinos raising goat on a large scale that is why the country’s goat population is small and could hardly meet the demand of both the domestic and foreign markets like Saudi Arabia.

Persons and organization you can ask for help about goat raising:

Dr. Edwin Villar
Philippine Council for Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Resources Research and Development
Los Baños, Laguna
Telephone: (049) 536-0014 to 20

Angelina Mendoza
Lakeview Farms, Tarlac City
Telephone: (045)982-5148
Mobile: 0920-4180788

Ketty Chua
Mandaue City, Cebu
Mobile: 0917-6299799

Federation of Goat and Sheep Producers
(Offers) regular training on goat farming)
E-group: goatraisers@yahoogroups.com

The home vermiculture starter kit is designed for home and backyard use to proces biodegradable waste such as kitchen and garden wastes into Nature’s perfect organic fertilizer – vermicompost. The Earthworm kit is designed to process kitchen waste everyday while minimizing odor and flies. It can best be set-up in the backyard, terrace or garage where there is good drainage.

Worm waste, ejected in the form of castings, also called “vermicast” is one of the easiest ways to reuse your vegetable scraps from the kitchen and garden. Worm composting is so easy, it can be done almost anywhere. All you need is a container, or spot in the garden, bedding material, food scraps, and of course, worms.

The earthworm starter kit includes training, manual and after sales technical support. So start producing your very own organic fertilizer and save the environment as well.

For more information, please call Beth at (02) 931-2617 or 348-1996
Cellphone: 0922-896-1996
Email: beth_pst@yahoo.com
Website: earthwormsanctuary.multiply.com
Youtube: mna.vermiculture

You can also visit demostration sites at the La Mesa Ecopark in Fairview or at the QC Circle Park.

Vermiculture is certainly a gardeners supply of nature’s perfect organic fertilizer!

Based on the research conducted by Food and Nutrition Research Institute (FNRI) of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), 100 gram of one cup of cooked malunggay leaves contain 3.1 g protein, 0.6 fiber, 96 mg calcium, 29 mg phosphorous, 1.7 mg iron, 2,820 mg beta-carotene, .07 mg thiamine, 0.14 mg riboflavin, 1.1 mg niacin, and 53 mg ascorbic acid or vitamin C. It also has antioxidant activity ranging about 71 percent with aetocopherol (vitamin E) equivalent of 45.

Malunggay leaves, according to DOST, are incomparable source of the sulfur-containing amino acids methionine and cystine, the natural mineral that humans are often lacking of.

The following suggested cultural practices were developed at Asian Vegetable Research and Development Center (AVRDC) in the Taiwan lowlands. Growers may modify the practices to suit local soil, weather, and pest and disease condition.

CLIMATE AND SOIL REQUIREMENTS
Malunggay withstands a wide range of environmental conditions. It grows best between 25 and 35 degrees Centigrade, but will tolerate up to 48 degrees Centigrade in the shade. This drought-tolerant tree grows well in areas receiving annual rainfall amounts ranging from 250 to 1500 mm. Altitude below 600 m are best for malunggay, but it can also grow in altitudes up to 1,200 m in the tropics.

The plant prefers a well-drained sandy loam or loam soil, and tolerated clay and a soil ph of 5-9. However, it cannot bear prolonged flooding and poor drainage.

PREPARING THE FIELD
Malunggay requires thorough land preparation and a well-prepared seedbed. At AVRDC, malunggay is planted on 30 cm-high raised beds to facilitate draining. Bed widths being tested at the Center vary from 60-200 cm.

CHOOSING A VARIETY
Among moringa species, M. oleifera and M. stenopetala are the most commonly grown. M. oleifera is most widely cultivated and the focus of this guide. Varieties within M. oleifera differ in growing habit, leaf, flower and pod characteristics. Characteristics of superior type include wide and dark green leaves, long and tender pods, bushy habit and rapid regeneration after trimming.

PLANTING METHODS
Malunggay is planted either by direct seeding, transplanting, or using hard stem cuttings. Direct seeding is preferred when plenty of seed is available and labor is limited. Transplanting allows flexibility in field planting but requires extra labor and cost in raising seedlings. Stem cutting are used when the availability of seed is limited but labor is plentiful.

A. Direct seeding
Sow two of three seed per hill at 2 cm deep. Two weeks after germination, thin to the strongest seedling per hill.
For leaf, pod and seed production, space plants 3-5 meters apart between rows and plants. If using raised beds, form beds with 2 m-wide tops and space plants 3-5 m apart in a single row.

For production of leaves only, space plants 50 cm within rows spaced 1 m apart. If using raised beds, form beds with 60 cm-wide tops and space plants 1 m apart in a single row. For intensive production of leaves, space plants 10-20 cm within rows 30-50 cm apart. Closer spacing allows harvest of young edible shoots every two to three weeks.

B. Transplanting
Transplanting malunggay consist of two steps: seedling production and field planting.

Seedling production: Seedlings can be grown in divided trays, individual pots, plastic bags of seedbeds. Use of divided trays and individual containers is preferred because there is less chance for seedlings to be damaged when they are transplanted.

Fill the tray with a potting mix that has good water-holding capacity and allows good drainage (peat moss, commercial potting soil o a potting mix prepared from soil, compost or rice hulls and vermiculite or sand). If using non-sterile components, sterilize the mix by autoclaving of baking at 150 degrees Centigrade for two hours.

Grow seedling under shade or in screenhouse with 50 percent shade. Sow two or three seed per cell. One week after germination, thin to the strongest seedling. Irrigate seedling thoroughly every morning or as needed (moist, but not wet), using a fine mist sprinkler to avoid soil splash and plant damage. Transplant seedlings one month after sowing.

For larger transplants, pots or bags may be used. Fill the containers (0.5 kg by volume) with potting mix similar to that used in seedling trays. If potting mix is not available, use three parts soil to once part sand. Sow two to three seeds per pot or bag. One week after germination, thin to the strongest seedling and transplant plants in the field when they are 50 cm high.

If seedlings are started in a raised seedbed, the soil should be partially sterilized by burning 3-5 cm layer of rice straw or other organic matter on the bed. The burned ash adds minor amount of P and K to the soil. Sow two or three seeds in holes spaced 25 cm apart. Cover seedbed with a fine-mesh nylon net to protect seedlings from pests, heavy rain and harsh sunlight. Transplant seedlings one month after sowing or when they are 20-30 cm high. Dig seedlings using a trowel taking care that roots are not damaged. Place the bare-foot seedling in a bucker containing water and transplant them as soon as possible.

Field planting
When transplanted in the field, the plant can be spaced similar to the recommended spacing for direct-seeded plants.
Malunggay may also be planted 1 m apart, or closer, in a row to establish living fence posts. Trees can be planted in gardens to provide shade for vegetables that are less tolerant to direct sunlight, and as a support for climbing crop. Trees can be planted also in hedgerow forming wide alleys where vegetables are planted within. Choose vegetables that can adapt to alley cropping, since malunggay hedgerows are highly competitive and can significantly reduce yield of companion plants.

C. Using Stem Cutting
Compared to trees planted from seed, trees from stem cuttings grow faster but develop a shallow root system that makes them more susceptible to moisture stress and wind damage.

Make stem cuttings using branches of a tree that is at least one year old. Use hard wood and avoid using young green stem tissue. Cuttings can be 45-150 cm long with diameters of 4-16 cm. Dry cuttings in the shade for three days before planting it in the nursery or in the field. Cuttings may be planted directly or in plastic pots or bags in the nursery or screenhouse.

When planting directly, plant cutting in light, sandy soil. Plant one-third of the seedling length in the spoil. Add a balanced fertilizer or compost to infertile soils to encourage rot development and irrigate regularly to keep the soil moist but not wet. Cutting planted in a nursery are ready for field planting after 2-3 months. Follow the field planting recommendations mentions for direct seeding and transplanting.

FERTILIZING
Malunggay grows well in most soils without fertilization. Once established, its extensive and deep root system is efficient in getting nutrients from the soil.
For optimum growth and yields, fertilizers are applied at planting time. Dig trenches around the base of the plant (10-20 cm from the base) and apply approximately 300 g of a commercial nitrogen fertilizer per tree. If commercial nitrogen fertilizer is not available, use compost of well-rooted farmyard manure at the rate of 1-2 kg/tree.

IRRIGATION
Irrigate seedlings immediately after transplanting to promote early root development. In dry and arid climates, irrigate regularly for the first two months. Once established, malunggay rarely needs watering because the well-rooted tree tolerates drought and needs irrigation only when persistent wilting is evident.

CONTROLLING WEEDS
Cultivate the soil thoroughly before planting to suppress early weed growth. Apply straw and/or plastic mulch around the base of each young tree. Control weeds by regularly cultivating between beds and rows.

CONTROLLING PESTS AND DISEASES
Malunggay is resistant to most pests and diseases, but outbreaks my occur under certain conditions. For example, Diplodia root rot may appear in waterlogged soils, causing sever wilting and death of plant. Mite populations can increase these pests cause yellowing of leaves, but plants usually recover during warm weather. Other insect pests include termites, aphids, leafminers, whiteflies and caterpillars.

Chemical control of insects pests should be use only when sever infestations occur. Choose a pesticide that targets the specific pest causing the damage and avoid pesticides that kill or inhibit the development of beneficial organisms. Choose pesticides that last only a few days.

Cattle, sheep, pigs and goats will eat malunggay seedlings, pods and leaves. Protect seedling from livestock by installing fence or by planting a hedge around the plot.

PRUNING
Malunggay should be trimmed to promote branching, increase yields and facilitate harvesting. If left to grow without cutting the main trunk, the fast-growing tree will grow straight and tall, producing leaves and pods only on the primary stem. To encourage the development of many branches and pods within easy reach form the ground, prune the apical growing shoot when the tree is 1-2 m high. Use a sharp knife, machete or pruning saw to make smooth cuts. New shoots will emerge from just below where the cut is made. Thereafter, cut the growing tips of the branches so that the tree will become bushier. Another pruning strategy is to cut back each branch by 30 cm when it is 60 cm long. This will produce a multibranched shrub.

If the tree is being grown for pod production, remove the flower during the first year. This will channel the entire young tree’s energy into vegetative and root development, leading to more vigorous growth and productive yields in the future.

Older tree that are unproductive or too high for easy harvesting can be pruned at ground level. New shoots will emerge quickly from the base.

HARVESTING
Leaves can be harvested when the plants are 1.5 – 2 m high. This usually takes at least one year. Harvest leaves by snapping leaf stems from branches. Harvesting young shoot tips will promote development of side branches where cuts along the main branches are made. Allow plants to develop new shoots and branches before subsequent harvests. If plants are grown at closer spacing and higher density, cut plants about 10 – 20 cm above the ground.

Older leaves will need to be stripped from their tough and wiry stems These are more suited for making dried leaf powder since stems can be removed during the sifting process. For fresh vegetables, tie harvested leaves in bundles and place them under shade to maintain freshness. Leaves easily lose moisture after harvesting, therefore, harvest early in the morning and if possible, sell it on the same day.

The leaflets can also be dried in the sun for a few hours and then stored for consumption during the hot-wet season, a time when minerals and vitamins are mostly lacking in diets.

Flowers and pods are normally produced during the second year of growth. Harvest pod when they are young, tender and green; they are eaten as green beans. Older pods, on one hand, are fibrous and develop a tough shell, but their pulp and immature seeds can be use in recipes similar to green peas. Fresh or dried flowers are used for making teas.

COLLECTING AND STORING RIPE SEEDS
Mature pods contain ripe seeds that are use for planting the next crop or for extracting oil. When producing seed for oil extraction, allow the pods to dry on the tree. Harvest pod before they split open and fall to the ground. Store seed in well-ventilated sacks in a cool, dry and shaded are. Seeds remain viable for planting for two years.

Source: Asian Vegetable Research and Development Center (AVRDC)

Seaweeds are exported either in raw form (fresh or dried seaweeds) or processed form (carrageenan and kelp powder). The major products derived from the utilization of seaweeds are: agar, algin or sodium alginate, and carrageenan. Carrageenan is a natural gum used as additive, binder, and emulsifier on food, pharmaceutical, beverage, and cosmetic industries.

INVESTMENT
1,250 Eucheuma seedlings
1 unit Dugout banca
1 unit Stainless steel knife
5 units Wooden basket/seedbin
12 rools Nylon rope #10
10 rools Plastic straw
12 pieces Bamboo poles
12 pieces Anchor bar
25 pieces Empty sacks

PROCEDURE
Eucheuma has two types: the cottonii (or guso) and the spinosum (or agar-agar). Both of them can be exported in dried forms. Of these two, cottonii grows faster and is easier to farm.

Site Selection
Choose a body of water where seaweeds are endemic; algae eel grasses and sea animals are abundant. The sea bottom should be of hard sand or rocks with the water moving and holding the seaweed loosely. Water depth should be at 1 or 2 feet at low tide and at least 7 feet at high tide. Depth should be determined so that seaweeds will not be overexposed to sunlight and air during low tide and will be exposed to enough sunlight penetration during high tide. Seawater temperature should be between 27° and 30° Centigrade.

Acquisition of Permit to Farm
The proposed area must be surveyed by a geodetic engineer to determine the area’s bearings and the exact size intended for the business. After the survey, the applicant should acquire an official application form from the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) and prepare all the necessary requirements as provided for by law. Guidelines promulgated by the BFAR must be followed to the fullest to avoid cancellation of the application. It should be noted that the application should be approved first before a permit is issued and before commercial farming commences.

Culture Preparation
Prepare the necessary materials and install the needed structures prior to planting. Source out quality seedlings from the vicinity to ensure easy transport to the farm site; seedlings must be protected from direct exposure to sun and rain. Transport container like styrofoam box is recommended although ordinary jute sacks will suffice. Seedlings must be immersed in seawater upon arrival, preferably in the seedling bin. Seaweeds get their food from seawater brought in by water current, so once they are off the water for more than 12 hours and without pouring seawater into them in-between, seedlings will die. If the seedlings are placed in a container with inadequate ventilation, packed with too much pressure or if there is an increase in temperature in the container, seaweed seedlings will die. Seedlings to be planted must be around 100-200 g. each. Choose healthy and strong branches; these are usually found at the center and near tips of a healthy plant. Use a clean, sharp, stainless steel knife for cutting branches to leave a smooth surface.

Preparation of Materials
Prepare a measuring stick made of bamboo about 0.64 cm. (1/4 inch thick), 7.6 cm. (3 inches wide) and 20.3 cm. (8 inches) long. Wind the plastic straw 25 times around the stick. Insert a sharp knife and cut the straw at one end. Cut similarly the straw at the other end. Get one strip and tie it tightly around one end of the strips to make a bundle. Split each strip into two and make a tight knot at each tip. One strip is sufficient to tie one cutting (planting material). Tie nylon lines to stakes. After clearing the area, measure the exact dimensions of the farm. Commence posting by using the anchor bar. Position the stakes such that nylon lines will be parallel to the water current. Bamboo poles/wooden posts are driven to the bottom, half a meter between rows. The lines are tied at both ends of the posts parallel to each other and 20-25 cm. from the bottom.

Maintenance
Visit the farm regularly. Keep plants clean by removing mud and rough seaweeds. It is essential to remove fish and other sea animals that may feed on the seaweeds. Check and prune the disease-infected portion of the plants.

Harvesting
Harvesting may be done by pruning the branches and leaving portions of the plant to grow again or by taking all the plants and replacing them with new cuttings, which is best done before each plant reaches 1 kg. or after 45-60 days. From the harvested plants, the best-looking plants are selected for use as seedlings for the next planting. These may be stored in the seedbed if these cannot be planted immediately. Harvested seaweeds are placed in bamboo baskets in the banca then sold raw at the market or dried for added value.

Drying
Seaweeds should be dried immediately after harvest, kept clean, and not allowed to come in contact with fresh water. Solar drying is the most popular and low cost option, taking 2-3 days under ideal conditions. Spread thinly harvested plants on a raised platform or cemented pavement with mesh net, dried coconut fronds, or sawali. Overturn the seaweeds regularly to facilitate drying. After drying, prepare the dried seaweeds for washing. Place them in a basket and wash in seawater by stirring and shaking the basket. Spread washed seaweeds on the drying area for about 6-8 hours.

Marketing
It is advisable to cultivate seaweeds through contract growing or trader financing to ensure a ready market. Buying and selling usually take place within the seaweed growing area. Seaweeds can also be sold to the nearest wet market.

REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS

Business Name Certification
Department of Trade and Industry (DTI)
DTI Provincial Office where the business is located
Validity: 5 years

Mayor’s/Business Permit
Municipality/City where the business is located
Validity: 1 year

Tax Identification Number (TIN)
Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR)
BIR National Office, Agham Road, Diliman, Quezon City
Trunkline: (632) 981.7000 / 981.8888
Website: www.bir.gov.ph

Permit to Farm
Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR)
Provincial BFAR Office
Validity: 1 year

TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE

Inland Fisheries and Aquaculture Division
Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources
2/F, PCA Bldg., Elliptical Road, Diliman, Quezon City
Tel. No.: (02) 929.3439

Mama Sita banana has a good commercial potential. It can be cooked like Saba in banana cue. It can be eaten raw like a latundan. It is also excellent for making banana chips.

Advantages of Mama Sita banana over the local Saba:
1. It is dwarf compared to Saba so that it is not easily toppled by typhoons.
2. It also has much shorter growing period. It will bear fruit in 12 months from planting compared to 14 to 16 months for Saba.

There are usually two ways of multiplying bananas. One is to separate the suckers from the mature banana plants and plant them. The other way is through tissue culture. What’s good about tissue culture is that the plant can be propagated in big numbers all at the same time. The resulting seedlings are uniform and are supposed to be disease-free.

The tissue-cultured seedlings are also easier to transport to the planting site because they are small. Also the plantlets can be easily transported even by airplane.

As a business owner, you can also invest in the stock market while attending your business. You can tap the services of online stock trading companies where you can easily buy and sell financial products from the comfort of your home.

Alaminos Goat Farm is probably the biggest producer of goat milk in the country today. For the moment, they have 40 goats on milkline producing 92 liters on a particular day. The goats are milked in the morning and another time at five o’clock in the afternoon. Milking is fast because the Almedas have milking machine. The 40 animals could be milked in two hours. The farm’s milk is sold as fresh pasteurized milk in bottles of one liter and 250 ml sizes. One liter is sold at P125 while 250 ml is sold at P40.

The Almedas emphasize the importance of genetics, i.e. the breeders should be of the highest quality. Also equally important is proper nutrition so the breeders will produce more kids per head that are fast growing. A goat needs a certain amount to maintain its body weight. For animals to produce, it has to be given more energy and minerals.

In the case of milkers, superior genes and complete nutrition will produce more milk and more kids, too. Comfortable housing also contributes much to the success in a goat farm. Many of the animals are raised in confinement, especially the breeders and milkers, for more convenient management. Some, however, are under pasture.

Proper nutrition is the major key in successful goat farming. Here is the advice of Rene Almeda to start-up goat farmers:

In feeding the goat, one has to be observant on the peculiarities of the goat to be able to give adequate nutrition. For instance, during the hot months, the goat will not eat much because of the heat. To solve this, feed the animals during the cooler parts of the day, early morning and late in the afternoon up to evening.

To avoid wastage, stagger the placement of feeds. If animal requires one kilo of concentrates, don’t dump the whole amount alls at one time. Divide that into four servings. Two hundred fifty grams may be given early in the morning followed by a snack of grass an hour later. Another hour late, give the second serving of concentrates, and then grass and so on. In this way, almost everything of the concentrates will be consumed.

To supplement the concentrates, napier and other forage crops should be grown. These include napier, Centrosema (a vine legume), Indigofera (a leafy tree), ipil-ipil, Madre de Agua (a small tree with nutritious leaves much higher than those of the legumes), Rensonii and others. Indigofera is very fast growing and its leafy twigs are the favorite of Rene’s Saanen goats.

When planting napiers, Centrosema could be mixed with it so that they could be harvested at the same time. Centrosema is a viny legume rich in protein. Trichantera from South America is also relished by the animals. One good thing about it is that it will thrive even in shady areas. With the applications of manure, it grows very robust.

The leaves are very important because they are the only part of the plant used for cooking. There are several types of basil but the most common one used for flavoring is the sweet basil, the lemon basil (which has a slightly lemony taste), the sacred basil, and the reddish basil.

Planting and harvesting basil fresh from your own backyard is easy. In the Philippines, basil can be grown with other herbs such as parsley, oregano, thyme and sage. They thrive well in well-drained porous soil and should be watered regularly. It must be planted in locations that are sunny but partly shaded in mid-afternoons. Using an overhead net to filter the midday sun helps in saving the plant from a scorching. Though heavy winds can be disastrous to the basil plants, as they have soft bodies and branches, you can minimize it by planting wind breakers to buffer it from strong winds.

If you want to keep the plant young don’t allow the flowers to open. Cut off the flower stems before the buds open. Leaves must also be harvested before the buds open to obtain its maximum flavor. Leaving some of the leaves alone on the lower part of the plant allows for another harvesting.

Fertilizing is not really necessary but an occasional application of organic fertilizers will help keep the basil plant lush. Pesticides must be used with extreme care, as the leaves are very delicate. Spraying should be done very lightly.

The versatility of the basil is proven in chicken, fish, and met dishes, as well as in a wide variety of sauces. For sauces, use a generous quantity of fresh leaves. However, reduce the amount in half when using dried ones.

To dry basil, tie several branches and hang them to air dry for about two to three days. Keep the dried leaves in airtight containers for storage, and do not crush them until they are to be used.

Source: Chat Alejandro, Manila Bulletin

Even ordinary farmers who have undergone training on the improved production techniques have succeeded in making big profits. Worth mentioning is Eleuterio Indic of Sta. Elena in Tacloban City. He planted just one kilo of sweet corn seeds costing him P1,500 and made a profit of P33,000 in just 65 days of culture.

Also, Michael Canabe, a 19-year-old high school graduate from Balilihan, Bohol, underwent training on vegetable production in Sept. 2007. After training, he got a loan-in-kind worth P5,700 in the form of Casino eggplant seeds, plastic mulch and seedling tray. He planted a little over 900 seedlings on October 25, 2007, and started harvesting in the first week of December. From that small planting he was able to make a net profit of P45,000 in a harvest period of three months.

Now he is self-financing his operation. He has planted sitao, squash, sweet pepper and eggplant. With his earnings, he is helping a sister to pursue a nursing course.

Techniques to be taught include the use of high-quality varieties, proper land preparation, use of seedling tray in producing seedlings, use of plastic mulch (to suppress weeds, conserve moisture and prevent waterlogging during rainy months), integrated pest and disease management, right fertilization, and marketing. The attendees can also learn how to make their own organic fertilizer.

Under the scheme, the DAR will shoulder the expenses of the technology transfer from specialist of East-West Seed Company who will conduct the free training. In each town, a cluster of 25 trainees will be trained through lectures as well as hands-on practice on the different aspects of vegetable production. The training consists of 14 weekly session. After the training, the farmers will undertake their vegetable production projects in their own or on rented land.

Trainees who don’t have enough money to pursue their own vegetable projects can get loan from the proponents. But instead of cash loan, farmers will be given inputs such as seeds, plastic seedling tray, plastic mulch, fertilizer and other inputs that they will pay upon selling their harvests.

Farmer trainees have a great opportunity to succeed in their projects because the East-West Seed technician will continuously provide technical assistance in taking care of their vegetables.

What is the right time? Dr. Malabanan emphasizes the application of the right fertilizer formulation in the right amount during the last harrowing. That’s called basal application. The kind and amount should be based on soil analysis. Normally, however, a basal application of 14-14-14 (complete) is recommended. Urea or ammonium sulfate could also be applied.

During the dry season 3 to 4 bags of complete are recommended per hectare. It is less during the wet season – 2 bags complete and one bag urea.

At 45 to 50 days after seeding, side-dressing is done. During the dry season, side-dress 2 to 3 bags of urea or 4 to 6 bags of ammonium sulfate.

When 5 percent of the rice plants are flowering, apply one bag or muriate of potash (0-0-60) or one bag 17-0-17. That is for grain filling. When the grains are well-filled, one sack will usually weigh 55 to 56 kilos. If the plants are not fertilized with 0-0-60 or17-0-17, one sack of the harvested grains will normally weigh 48 to 50 kilos. That’s because the grains are not as well-filled, according to Dr. Malabanan.