The Department of Science and Technology, through PCAARRD, has provided funds to offer immediate yet long-term science and technology (S&T)-based solutions to rehabilitate banana plantations in the Davao Region.
Since 2011, Davao’s banana industry has been saddled with the attack of Fusarium wilt or Panama disease, affecting 634 hectares of Cavendish farms.
To manage the disease infestation, P34 million was allotted for the R&D program on banana, particularly on the selection of varieties resistant to the disease and on the setting up of a state-of-the-art Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) laboratory and greenhouse for the experiment on biological control of the disease.
The Southern Mindanao Agriculture Resources Research and Development Consortium (SMARRDEC) is coordinating with the implementers of the program. Implementers include the University of Southeastern Philippines (UseP), Bureau of Plant Industry–Davao National Crop Research and Development Center, Southern Philippines Agribusiness and Marine and Aquatic School of Technology (SPAMAST), and University of the Philippines Los Baños.
While banana growers were still recovering from the big loss as a result of the plant disease, super typhoon Pablo, which hit Mindanao in December 2012, destroyed more banana plantations and other crop stands including livestock. The cost of the damage was estimated at P26.96 billion in the region alone.
Thus, PCAARRD approved three projects to rehabilitate badly hit banana production areas in selected municipalities of Compostela Valley, Davao del Norte, and Davao Oriental.
These projects will promote the production of banana intercropped with dwarf coconut using the package of technologies developed by the Davao Oriental State College of Science and Technology, SPAMAST, and UseP. Total cost of the projects amounts to P8.9 million.
In a recent development, PCAARRD Executive Director Patricio S. Faylon led the inauguration of the PCR laboratory and greenhouse, and the signing of the memorandum of agreement of the cooperating agencies of the projects.