Needs assessment of sugarcane farmer members of the Kooperatiba ng mga Magsasaka ni San Isidro Labrador (KOMSIL) in Barangay Banilad, Nasugbu, Batangas

Date

12-2007

Degree

Bachelor of Science in Agriculture

Major Course

Major in Agronomy

College

College of Agriculture and Food Science (CAFS)

Adviser/Committee Chair

Maria Lourdes S. Edaña

Abstract

The farm practice reports was conducted in Barangay Banilad, Nasugbu, Batangasduring the summer of 2006. The sugarcane cultural and management practices of the farmer member of KOMSIL were documented and evaluated. A general description of the condition of the community were given and problems and needs of the sugarcane farmer members of KOMSIL were identified and recommendations and strategies to maximize resources within the farm to improve sugarcane production were provided. Primary data were gathered through individual interviews and focused group discussion with the respondents. Secondary data were gathered through municipal records.

The farmers are strictly monocrop planters of sugarcane. the varieties used by the respondents of Pampanga, Bacolod and Mabolo. The farmer respondents ratoon the crop for 3-5 years and use tractor to deep plow the soil during planting season. Moldboard plow is used of practices done in ratoon crops. The farmers prefer sugarcane crop because of familiarity to the crop and assurance of market due to the presence of a sugar mill the average yield the farmers recently obtained reaches only up to 50 tons per hectare with high input chemical fertilizers. Average cost of production during the planting season until harvest is Php64,460.00 per hectare while the average cost of production for ratoon crops is Php39, 460 per hectare per year.

Problems identified were the high cost production, low fertility of the soil and limited number of trucks that will transport harvest to the CADP mill. The respondents have poor quality of soil due to continuous application of chemical fertilizers. Most of the farm residues and other resources within the farm are not utilized. Farmers are also experienced decline in yield due to while grub which they do not do anything about it. Moreover, relying mostly on rain irrigation also affects farm productivity especially during in times of drought.

Suggested options to improve productivity of the farm include soil baiting. composting, conducting seminars on sustainability agriculture, detrashing, propping, water impounding systems and incorporation of animal manures, use of soil test kit to determine which nutrient needed by the crops is deficient in the soil and also determine the exact amount of fertilizers to reduce cost of fertilizers, establishment of a committee in the cooperative that will coordinate with the administrators of the trucks to eliminate the delay in transportation of produce to the mill, efficient information within the cooperative and transparency of output activities done to encourage farmers to be more active and enthusiastic in performing responsibilities in the cooperative.

Language

English

Location

UPLB Main Library Special Collections Section (USCS)

Call Number

LG 993 2007 A42 L56

Document Type

Thesis

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