Agrikultura

P8.5-M road projects completed in Davao Oriental, Organic solution to aflatoxin in corn discovered and DA-PhilMech eyes 156 more tramlines

Posted on January 18th By dar-pas/da-philmech

Efforts to enhance the economic activity in Davao Oriental got a big boost as the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) completed two farm-to-market road projects worth P8.5 million in LACAMBITA (La Union, Cambaleon, Bitaogan, Talisay) agrarian reform community in San Isidro, Davao Oriental.
DAR Regional Director Datu Yusoph B. Mama said the road projects are vital components in the government’s drive to spur rural development in the agrarian reform community (ARC).
Mama said that the farmers would have greater flexibility in their dealings with traders, following the concreting of two farm-to-market roads namely, the Junction National Highway to Talisay road and the Bangkok 1 to Purok Dahlia road.
Some 3,000 agrarian reform beneficiaries now benefit from these roads. With their completion, there is now easier accessibility to the farms. Also, convenience in transporting agricultural and marine products has significantly improved.
DAR Director Mama emphasized that one of the major goals of DAR is to improve farmers’ lives by increasing their income. “These roads will help realize that goal,” Mama said.
The farm-to-market roads were implemented under the Agrarian Reform Infrastructure Support Projects and funded by the Japan Bank for International Cooporation.
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For many years, the corn industry has struggled to contain aflatoxin infection on a large portion of corn harvests in the country. While there are chemical solutions that can combat the fungi that cause aflatoxin, there are food safety issues related to the excessive use of chemicals on crops.
In fact, the Department of Agriculture (DA) has identified aflatoxin content of corn as one of the major problems the local corn industry is facing.
But the DA-Philippine Center of Postharvest Development and Mechanization (DA-PhilMech) has made a breakthrough discovery that may finally solve aflatoxin infection of corn harvests in the Philippines – the humble Trichoderma, which is a natural agent that can be easily cultured in laboratories.
“The initial tests done by DA-PhilMech on using Trichoderma to fight aflatoxin contamination in corn are promising. What we need is to some more field tests and validation before commercializing the technology,” said DA-PhilMech Executive Director Ricardo L. Cachuela.
Based on initial field tests done by DA-PhilMech on corn during the wet season, Trichoderma harzianum powder mixed in water can reduce aflatoxin infection substantially. Aflatoxin is caused by the Aspergillus flavus fungus.
DA-PhilMech’s tests showed that newly harvested corn treated with Trichoderma preparation and shelled and dried on time had Aspergillus flavus infection of only around 10%. On the other hand, newly harvested corn that was not treated but shelled and dried on time was infected by Aspergillus flavus by up to 30%.
“The tests were done during the wet season, which is a worst case scenario since high moisture content in newly-harvested corn encourages the growth of Aspergillus flavus which causes aflatoxin infection,” Cachuela said.
Control of the Aspergillus flavus also led to the reduction in mold growth in corn. Based on DA-PhilMech’s initial tests, newly harvested corn treated with Trichoderma preparation and shelled and dried on time reduced mold infection 0.50%. On the other hand, untreated corn that was shelled and dried on time had 1% mold infection.
Cachuela said that molds is just one sign of aflatoxin infection, and it is very hard to judge visually if newly harvested crops are infected with aflatoxin. He added that cooking and processing of newly harvested crops infected with aflatoxin and molds will not solve the problem.
“If you eat food with aflatoxin that was cooked, the aflatoxin would not be eliminated and would be stored in your liver. And since aflatoxin is carcinogenic or can cause cancer, the worst case scenario for people who eat foods with aflatoxin is liver cancer,” he said.
While much of the corn produced in the country is used for feeds for livestock and poultry, Cachuela said that there is no guarantee that livestock and poultry fed with corn with aflatoxin is totally safe for human consumption. “In fact there are initial findings that aflatoxin can be found in milk from animals that were fed with crops that were infected with aflatoxin,” Cachuela said.
DA-PhilMech plans to do tests on the use of Trichoderma to fight aflatoxin infection on other crops like peanuts, among others.
DA-PhilMech’s breakthrough discovery on the use of Trichoderma to combat aflatoxin infection on corn is timely, since Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala has been pushing organic solutions for the country’s agriculture sector.
Last year, DA-PhilMech disclosed that it has found the organic solution to combat the dreaded crown rot disease afflicting the banana industry for many years.
DA- PhilMech scientist Dr. Dionisio Alvindia discovered that antagonistic fungi can be used to fight the fungi that causes banana crown rot. Banana growers usually use fungicides to fight the banana crown rot but this has food safety issues.
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The Department of Agriculture-Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization (DA-PhilMech) is eyeing the construction of more tramlines from 2012 to 2016 in addition to those that will be completed this year. A total of 107 tramlines are set to be completed before the end of this year, with 53 completed as of the middle of 2011.
For 2012 to 2016, DA-PhilMech is eyeing 156 more tramlines in various parts of the country, with each costing around P2 million for a span of one to two kilometers. Of the 156 tramlines to be built from 2012 to 2016, 89 will be established in Luzon.
While the DA-PhilMech has proposed around P312 million for the new tramlines, the cooperation of the local government units (LGUs) and farmer organizations is also needed for the maintenance and operation of the system. A concerned LGU can also help finance the construction of a tramline in its area. A tramline system usually spans one to two kilometers.
“The success of the tramline project, especially in the very mountainous areas, has been very encouraging. Transport costs for agricultural produce are reduced by half, post harvest losses are decreased and transport time is faster,” said DA-PhilMech Executive Director Ricardo L. Cachuela.
Based on DA-PhilMech field studies, the losses of transporting agricultural products transported by porters, horse or mules along mountainous areas reach as much 25%. With tramlines, postharvest losses are reduced to as low as 5% to 10%.
In transport costs, porters who usually use horses and mules to transport agricultural products through mountainous areas charge at least P10 per kilo. On the other hand, transporting with the use of tramlines costs P5 per kilo.
“Reduced transport cost and postharvest losses can easily translate into additional income for farmers,” Cachuela said.
He added that besides agricultural produce, the new tramlines can also be designed to carry a number of people, usually four. Tramlines are also be used to transport farm inputs like fertilizers and chemicals.
To date, DA-PhilMech has designed four prototypes of tramlines. The tramline project of DA-PhilMech dates back to the days when the agency was still the Bureau of Postharvest Research and Extension (BPRE). BPRE became PhilMech in November 2009 with the issuance of Executive Order No. 366. Compared to BPRE, PhilMech has a more pronounced mandate to promote mechanization in the Philippine agriculture sector.

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