The second-most significant crop in the Philippines is corn. In addition to transportation services, traders, processors, and suppliers of agricultural inputs who directly profit from corn production, processing, marketing, and distribution, some 600,000 farm households rely on corn as a primary source of income.
Taking a thorough look at the market, we can see that corn and products made from it are widely used. But according to a study done in 2022 and released by the Philippine Institute for Development Studies, corn farming is one of the least developed agricultural subsectors in the nation.
According to the report, the Philippines has one of the lowest corn yields among the ASEAN nations. This is somewhat related to the average corn farm size in the Philippines, which is a barrier to economies of scale for the country's maize growers.
With this, the Department of Agriculture (DA) aimed to increase the production of high-quality corn and cassava for food, feed, and industrial uses. Additionally, provide farmers more power and revenue, which will improve their quality of life.
Establishment of MAFSA
In 2014, the Local Government Unit of Maria Aurora, Aurora through its municipal corn coordinator, Ms. Rowena Calip, established the Maria Aurora Farmer Scientists Association or MAFSA in Brgy. Decoliat together with the DA and Agricultural Training Institute (ATI). The MAFSA is composed of corn farmers in the community.
After this, the corn farmers within the organization started to attend training activities. “Dahil sa pagtatag ng MAFSA, natulungan ang bawat miyembro at nagkaroon sila ng makinarya na magagamit sa kanilang pagmamaisan,” shared Ms. Calip.
The association currently has 57 members in Maria Aurora.
MAFSA’s legacy
Calip also stressed that the farmers learned the proper technologies and best practices on corn farming. “Natutunan din nila ang iba’t ibang pamamaraan mula sa pagtatanim, pagpapataba, pagpuksa ng mga insekto ganun din sa kanilang pag-aani, ‘yung tamang panahon,” Calip said.
This was confirmed by Marivic Amiles, a member of MAFSA, in an interview. Amiles shared that she learned the proper way of planting corn through the organization. “Dahil sa MAFSA, natutunan ko kung paano ang tamang pagtanim ng mais. Hindi tulad ng dati na ang aming pagtatanim ay dikit dikit kaya maliliit ang bunga. Noong nasa MAFSA na ako, gumanda ang mga bunga,” she stressed.
Another member of MAFSA and its current treasurer, Simeona Viernes, said that she was introduced to advanced farming technology through the group.
“Nang dahil sa MAFSA, sa pagbibigay kaalaman ng aming samahan, nagawa po naming sundan ang mga advanced technology. Alam na namin kung ilang amount ng pataba ang dapat ilagay sa isang ektarya at kung kailan maglalagay ng pataba at pesticide,” Viernes quipped.
This also posed a big improvement in the farmer’s harvest. From 30 bags of harvest, their harvest went up to 80 to 100 bags after becoming a member of MAFSA.
“Noong panahong hindi pa namin alam itong aking mga nalalaman ngayon sa pagsasaka ng mais, nakaka-30 bags lang ang aming naaani sa isang ektarya. Ngayon, nakaka-ani na po kami ng 80 to 100 bags kapag maganda ang panahon,” the MAFSA member said.
The members were also introduced to integrated farming. “Hindi lang po mais ang pwedeng itanim sa panahon ng pagtatanim, pwede din po maglagay o magtanim sa daanan nya para maging integrated ang farm,” Viernes added.
With integrated farming, the farmers will expect income from other crops if the corn planting season is over.
Success in corn farming
As the group’s coordinator, Rowena challenged the farmers to practice the learnings that the farmers got from the training activities they attended and they should share them to their fellow farmers.
“Kailangang isabuhay nila ang kanilang mga natutunan sa training upang makatulong din sa kapwa nila magsasaka. Lahat ng kanilang natutunan ay kanilang isabuhay upang umangat din ang kanilang kabuhayan,” the coordinator urged.
Before MAFSA, the members were applying fertilizer just by guessing and whatever is available in their farm. They even quipped that whatever they want to apply in their crops, they will do it.
Now, because of their experiences and exposure to training activities specifically to corn farming, they have improved their farming activities as well as their quality of life.
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