The “Agroforestry Support Program for Enhancing Resiliency of Community-Based Forest Management Areas (ASPIRE-CBFM)” was recently featured on “Syensya Na, Tekno Pa” of Radyo Agila, DZEC 1062 KHz. This program is funded by the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST-PCAARRD).
Program leader Roberto G. Visco explained the basic concepts of agroforestry along with the program’s overview.
Agroforestry is a new name for an age-old practice. It uses an intercropping system wherein woody perennials are being planted alongside annuals such as vegetables and corn.
Further, Visco explained that the main goal of the program is to develop and strengthen community-based forest management to help alleviate the lives of upland farmers.
One of the beneficiaries of ASPIRE-CBFM is Liliw Upland Farmers’ Multi-Purpose Cooperative (LUFAMCO) of Brgy. Luquin, Liliw, Laguna. Through the program, members of LUFAMCO are able to produce organic fertilizer, which enhances crop production. This allows them to save roughly half of their farm inputs per cropping cycle.
In the long run, the program hopes that the practices and technologies used in the model farms will be adopted by CBFM areas nationwide.
ASPIRE-CBFM is a program implemented by the University of the Philippines Los Baños Institute of Agroforestry, Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Ecosystems Research and Development Bureau, and the DOST-CALABARZON.
Watch the whole interview by clicking the link: https://web.facebook.com/RadyoAgila1062/videos/383262890395109