52 sites in NorMin mapped for National Soil Database

 

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – In addition to the 40 sites mapped by the Department of Agriculture – Bureau of Soils and Water Management (DA-BSWM) for the National Soil Database in 2024, another 52 priority areas across 5 provinces in Northern Mindanao has been mapped anew this year.

After an 18-day field survey and ground geotagging of the 52 upland towns in the region, a team from the DA-BSWM Soils Survey Division, led by Bella Noceda, DA-BSWM Senior Agriculturist, presented the team’s initial findings and recommendations to the Department of Agriculture – Region 10 (DA-10) management in an exit conference Friday, March 28.

Preliminary observation suggests that soil in the surveyed highland areas are generally acidic, thus the DA-BSWM discourage farmers’ use of ammonium sulphate. Instead, it is recommended for farmers in the surveyed areas to adopt balanced soil fertilization primarily by utilizing organic fertilizer.

Further, the DA-BSWM is amenable to the establishment of demo farms to showcase proper fertilization and soil-crops suitability.

Soil samples collected from the Soil Health Monitoring Sites (SHMS) in the region will be subjected to laboratory tests to determine the soil condition in the subject localities to help farmers understand the health and nutritional needs of their farm lands.

Lana May S. Racines, DA-10 Chief of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation Division (PMED) said the DA-10 management echoes the DA-BSWM’s stand in advocating soil health. She bared that the DA-10 is currently mobilizing regionwide soil sampling and testing as an initiative to guide farmers in proper fertilization to increase their production. .

Moreover, she also cited that the agency is scaling up its organic agriculture program implementation in the region by promoting organic rice and corn farming.

As part of the government’s National Soil Health Program (NSHP), a nationwide soil mapping is being undertaken by the DA-BSWM to design a National Soil Map as a tool for countrywide promotion of sustainable soil resource management, increased crop productivity, and improved farmers’ income.# (ATT)