Take the ingenious farmers of Silang, Cavite, who have evolved what has come to be popularly known as 1:4 Pooc Agroforestry. 1 stands for one hectare and 4 for the number of crops simultaneously grown in it.
Lately, reported Barangay Pooc II chairman Virgilio Tibayan, the ratio has reached 1:7 to 1:10.
The award-winning technology was developd through the years by farmers of the barangay, which is now a model community for agroforestry. Moreover, through their partnership with the Los Baños-based Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Ecosystems Research and Development Bureau (DENR-ERDB) headed by Director Celso P. Diaz, the farmers have enhanced their skills, experiences, and knowledge on agroforestry.
"The interaction and exchange of information between ERDB researchers and Cavite farmers have brought dynamism to promote and disseminate the technology," stressed Dr. Aleli M. Luna of ERDB.
Various local government units and people’s organizations, through the Community-based Resource Management Project (CBRMP), have gone to Pooc to see and experience the system. The local farmers serve as hosts, lecturers, and resource persons in the demonstration and cross-farm visits.
The activities are being funded by the Department of Finance (DOE) through the Municipal Development Fund under the project. – RAF