We are excited to announce that the Bureau of Soils and Water Management (BSWM) has been selected to present our poster entry to the 2024 FFTC-Smart Net-Zero (SNZ) Conference, taking place now from September 10-12, 2024, in Taipei, Taiwan. This prestigious international conference is organized by the Food and Fertilizer Technology Center (FFTC) in collaboration with the Taiwan Agricultural Research Institute (TARI), the Taiwan Livestock Research Institute (TLRI), the Ministry of Agriculture, National Taiwan University (NTU), National Chung Hsing University (NCHU), and the Netherlands Office Taipei (NLOT).
The conference, titled “Strategy and Actions to Incentivize GHG Emission Reductions and Carbon Offset within Sustainable Agrifood Systems,” aims to foster knowledge exchange among global experts, researchers, and practitioners. Its goals include the development of policies and strategies to promote emission reductions and carbon offset practices within the agrifood sector, contributing to broader sustainability and net-zero goals. The event also provides an opportunity to collaborate across borders and disciplines and showcases successful case studies from Taiwan and abroad.
The DA-BSWM is proudly represented by Assistant Director Denise A. Solano on behalf of Director Gina Parde Nilo, Ph.D. The Assistant Director during her poster presentation showcased the advantages of the Composting Facility for Biodegradable Wastes (CFBW) and the Small-Scale Composting Facility (SSCF) and the benefits of using its compost fertilizers. This initiative is supported by Honorable Senator Cynthia A. Villar, Committee Chair on Food and Agriculture advocates on the use of compost and intensity its production, to improve soil health, and mitigate climate change.
As part of our ongoing efforts, the BSWM also advocates for the NSHP-Adaptive Balanced Fertilization Strategy (ABFS), aims to improve soil health and reduce the reliance on chemical fertilizers with the right and optimal combination of organic and synthetic fertilizers. To further support these efforts, the DA-BSWM has created guidelines on the buy-back scheme for compost produced from composting facilities, contributing to the local economies through compost-related enterprises. The BSWM also intensifies its demonstration of ABFS with more 200 and 100 hectares of contiguous technology demonstration for rice and corn respectively. Likewise ABFS for High Value Crops on selected sites. Reduction in the use of chemicals through composting proved to increase yield between 5 to 6 tons/hectare and 7 to 8 tons/hectare during wet and dry season.
Together, these initiatives are vital for achieving the nation’s long-term goals of ensuring food security, mitigating environmental degradation, and addressing climate change.
(Chari Ann Maestre, CPIT)
