Caraga Region, prominent for its enormous deposit of mineral commodities particularly but not limited to gold, copper, chrome, nickel, iron and limestone has attracted numerous mining companies which provide livelihood to the people living near the site.
Livelihoods brought about by these mining companies to the affected communities had given them aid to suffice their food yearnings. However, these companies come and go without exact assurance as to when they could still provide them work.
The Department of Agriculture – Caraga through the Research Division, in collaboration with MGB, and the Provincial Local Government Units (PLGUs) of Caraga, came up with an idea of hitting the issues in soil fertility and food sufficiency that will greatly benefit not just these mine-affected communities but also the majority of staple food consumers. Especially in the Philippines where a meal is not complete without a giant serving of rice on a plate.
In the Municipality of San Luis, Agusan del Sur, a certain community introduces and continuously uses an alternative food source that can be substituted to rice and corn to ensure the availability of food in their table. Backed with the efforts of DA-Caraga through the Research Division, they find this food source as overwhelmingly useful for production. They created a production area making this as the first production area of this crop in the region as it resembles and tastes like rice and corn – Adlai.
Adlai, which belongs to the same family of grass (poacea) as wheat, corn, and rice, is native to Southeast Asia. In the Philippines, it grows aplenty in the regions of Northern Mindanao, Cordilleras, and Zamboanga. Its characteristics are brown or white in color, spherical in shape with a groove at one end. Its leaves can grow up to 10 to 40 centimeters wide. The spikes are six to 10 centimeters long, erect, and peduncle, while the male spikelets are about eight millimeters long. It can grow as tall as three feet and propagates through seeds.
It is still one of those unrecognized crops in the Philippines that underlie potential benefits that can be used, consumed, and marketed. This is one of the reasons why DA pushed this study to success because of its benefits –in food security and for the restoration of the soil characteristics of these communities affected by mining activities, by using it as a production area.
UNUSUAL CROP IN AN UNUSUAL SETTING
DA – Caraga aimed to develop this unusual crop in an unusual setting –mine affected areas, to determine the growth and yield performance of Adlai intercropped with leguminous crops. Expanding its seed production area in the region, and organizing and strengthening farmers’ association within the locality that could boost Adlai to its popularity as an alternative to rice and corn.
Adlai Project Coordinator for Caraga Region and Science Research Specialist II Marcelo Soledad Jr. said that they conduct the study of developing Adlai production in areas affected by mining sites to utilize and restore the soil for Adlai production.
“The Technical Working Group (TWG) suggested changing the location of the Adlai production from mined-out areas to mine-affected communities because if we use the soil from the site, there will be no minerals in the soil left that could help the Adlai to reproduce. Instead, we use the soil outside the mining site as our production area –near the communities affected by the mining activities,” Soledad said.
Currently, there are four experimental sites that are used as production areas in the region. This includes Brgy. Pantinople, Basilisa, Province of Dinagat Islands; Brgy. Victory, Tubay, Agusan del Norte; Brgy. Cabugo, Claver, Surigao del Norte; and Babuyan, Carrascal, Surigao del Sur. All of these sites are managed by hardworking farmers that are hopeful for the success of this project.
One of the farmer beneficiaries of this project is Rogelio Ylanan from Brgy. Victory, Tubay, Agusan del Norte. Rogelio, a senior citizen, who happened to be only dependent from his quarterly allowance from the Office of Senior Citizen Affair (OSCA), and Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4P’s) from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) as source of income, was glad after their barangay was one of the chosen experimental sites.
“After I found out that our barangay was chosen by the DA, I was really happy about the news. I was chosen to lead a pack of farmers which I gladly accepted. Knowing that the DA will be the one to provide seedlings and fertilizers to us and what we only have to do is to plant and monitor the crops, I got excited,” Ylanan said.
Further, Ylanan was able to harvest only a little amount from the first batch of Adlai planted in their site because their trial site was devastated by flood, a rehabilitation was made to ensure an adequate yield will be expected for the second cropping. Moreover, in the experiment in Cabugo, Claver, Surigao del Norte, Edgardo Gasulas stated that they were able to harvest 8 kilograms of Adlai crop during their second cropping. A total of 170 kg. of adlay seeds were distributed to the identified farmer’s association.
BRIDGING ADLAI TO THE COMMUNITY
Being new and unpopular from this crop, the Research Division of DA Caraga conducted several trainings and seminars for the farmers. Not just that, they also conduct Farmer’s Field Day wherein a small fair in a certain barangay is established to showcase the products that can be made out from Adlai.
“Last 2018 we conducted several training sessions about Adlai production and value-adding seminars for our farmers in Victory, Tubay, and Carrascal, Surigao del Norte. Last 2019, we had a seminar at Basilia, Province of Dinagat Islands and Claver, Surigao del Norte. It was attended by 120 farmers, 60 from the first, and another 60 the following year. They were very delighted to have attended the training,” Soledad Jr. said.
One of the recipients of this training is Edgardo Gasulas, cooperator of an experimental site in Cabugo, Claver, Surigao del Norte, and member of the Persons with disabilities (PWDs) of their municipality. “We are very thankful for the effort of the Department of Agriculture –Caraga because it opened our eyes to the benefits of this crop. Aside from the fact that it’s tasty, you can create a lot of things out of this like champorado and arroz caldo. You can also make this as a tea or herbal drink. It was really fun knowing the benefits of this crop,” Gasulas added.
THE FUTURE OF ADLAI IN CARAGA
The four trial sites were able to produce their first cropping and results show that higher yield were obtained with inorganic fertilizer management in either of the three legumes intercropped rather than organic fertilization management. Obtaining 2.59 t/ha from inorganic fertilizer alongside 0.958 t/ha from organic fertilizer both at 14% moisture content. Currently, other trial sites are now on their second round of production. Farmer cooperators are very hopeful that Adlai production in Caraga region will come to life as it gives multiple benefits, in livelihood, in food security, and even in health.
“I am very hopeful that this will be continued since Adlai showed positive feedback as of now. There were mishaps due to uncontrolled circumstances like flood and pests but it’s tolerable. The crops were able to manage and produce a handful of harvest,” Gasulas said.
“I am very thankful to the Department of Agriculture – Caraga for introducing this crop in Victory, Tubay, Agusan del Norte. I am positive that this project will continue especially here in our barangay because they have seen the positive effect of this crop. My neighbors can attest to the final product. We were able to steam it and they said it really tasted better than rice. I also know that this is good for your health,” Ylanan said.
Undeniably, Adlai proved its adaptability to different agro-climatic conditions. Not just that, it can also be enhanced and sustainably nurtured as a potential additional food source for the table of every Filipino household especially here in Caraga Region. Linking this staple food to bigger communities will create a pathway for new livelihood, especially those mine-affected communities.
The future of Adlai is rising. To better livelihood. To food security. (Kent Warren H. Fugoso, MSDC-II)
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