Agusan solon bats for measures to develop soil health | Pinakabagong Balita sa Pilipinas

Agusan solon bats for measures to develop soil health — Rep. Adolph Edward Plaza of Agusan del Sur’s 2nd District delivers a privilege speech on Wednesday, August 13, 2025, urging his fellow lawmakers to su...

Rep. Adolph Edward Plaza of Agusan del Sur’s 2nd District delivers a privilege speech on Wednesday, August 13, 2025, urging his fellow lawmakers to support efforts that will help increase agricultural yields for farmers grappling with the impacts of climate change. Screenshot from the House of Representatives channel

Rep. Adolph Edward Plaza of Agusan del Sur’s 2nd District delivers a privilege speech on Wednesday, August 13, 2025, urging his fellow lawmakers to support efforts that will help increase agricultural yields for farmers grappling with the impacts of climate change. Screenshot from the House of Representatives channel

SAN FRANCISCO, Agusan del Sur – Rep. Adolph Edward Plaza of the 2nd District of Agusan del Sur has underscored the critical importance of soil health development initiatives, urging his fellow lawmakers to support efforts that will help increase agricultural yields for farmers contending with the impacts of climate change.

Plaza made this appeal during his privilege speech on Wednesday in Congress, emphasizing that restoring the health of soils is essential for securing the future of farmers and the nation’s agricultural prosperity.

He highlighted the role of innovative soil-test-based fertilization and sustainable farming practices in providing farmers with the tools to maintain healthy soils, boost crop yields, and adapt to the challenges of a changing climate.

“A comprehensive, science-based, and collaborative national soil health strategy can rehabilitate our soils, reverse degradation, and improve the productivity of our farmers,” Plaza stated in his speech.

To support his argument, the Agusan del Sur lawmaker presented data from five model rice fields in the province, which showed a remarkable 263 percent increase in net income and produced at least 6.6 tons per hectare, up from an average of 3.6 tons per hectare. Additionally, fertilization costs were reduced by as much as 45 percent.

The 6.6 tons yield even surpassed the average production of 4 tons per hectare of the rice farmers in the country.

Plaza emphasized the urgent need to mitigate the inevitable impact of climate change on agriculture by ensuring a healthy ecosystem, pointing out that 70 percent of the country’s farmlands are now affected by acidity.

“To mitigate climate change, we need to safeguard a healthy ecosystem. Soils rich in organic matter support plant growth, filter water, and sequester carbon,” Plaza noted. “As our soils are increasingly threatened, we must act swiftly to protect them.”

“The clock is ticking. Soil degradation not only undermines agricultural productivity but also threatens the livelihoods of our smallholder farmers,” Plaza stressed.

He highlighted that the provincial government of Agusan del Sur has honored its commitment to advancing soil health development by establishing a P400-million state-of-the-art Soils Research Laboratory, staffed by experts from the Provincial Research Development and Innovation Office.

READ:Marcos leads groundbreaking of soils lab in Agusan Sur

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The soils lab is the latest initiative under the provincial government’s flagship program, the Upland Sustainable Agriforestry Development (USAD), which has already begun transforming the lives of farmers, particularly the Lumads, living in the remote hinterlands of Agusan del Sur./coa

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