Kawawang Magsasaka at Mangingisda (2)

There is something that is puzzling me. In one of a seminar that I was able to attend, the Department of Agriculture made its commitment to support the possible establishment of an organic fertilizer production center that would service the entire province.

To date, there are private individual-farmers and even cooperatives of farmers who are into production of non-synthetic fertilizer. This kind of fertilizer is cheaper and is actually as effective than a chemical-based fertilizer. A bag of commercial synthetic fertilizer is worth little than a thousand pesos; while an organic fertilizer is more or less two hundred pesos. This can even be produced in one's backyard, and hence would entail no cost -- only sweat. And laboratory tests attest to the latter's efficacy, which is more often than not obstructed by the disturbed of altogether destroyed equilibrium of soil nutrients accounted for by the long-time use of synthetic fertilizer.

However, the production of organic fertilizer in the province is not sufficient. Fact is, big volume still comes from Batangas City. Hence, the idea of DA (in cohorts with the Provincial and some Municipal Governments, and other line agencies) for Occidental Mindoro to produce its own consumption. Good and laudable idea!

Besides, I suppose DA has its pool of qualified and competent scientists and technicians. And they, in consonance with the findings of other agriculturists' groups worldwide, must have been aware of the advantage of using non-chemical or non-synthetic farm inputs. I have my relative who works with DA and who's telling me that if not for his work in the government he would not propagate nor teach the use of chemical fertilizers.

But,... And this escapes from my rationality... The concentration/focus of the DA programs in the province is into hybridization of palay or rice. Which demands the use of more and more chemical farm inputs..

Is this not a case of "the right hand knowing not what the left hand does"? Is this not an indication of dysfunctionality of a government agency?

Kawawang Magsasaka (at Mangingisda)...