REGIONWIDE. Site-specific nutrient management for cassava is critical for improved crop productivity, healthy soil, and sustainable agriculture.
By keeping the soil's nutrient levels at their ideal, site-specific management helps avoid nutrient imbalances, which can cause soil degradation. This helps maintain the fertility of the soil and its general health.
Providing site-specific nutrient management training to trainers guarantees that farmers get advice on implementing best practices. Farmers are better equipped to manage nutrients on their cassava fields in a sustainable and efficient manner because to this information transfer.
On August 07-11, 2023, 22 Agricultural Extension Workers (AEWs) from across the region were trained on From Corn to Cassava: Training of Trainers on Site Specific Nutrient Management (SSNM) on Cassava held at ATI-7 Training Complex, Cabawan District, Tagbilaran City, Bohol.
Participants learned the nutrient expert based site-specific nutrient management (SSNM-NE) for cassava production, fertilizer & fertilizer use, yield determination by using crop-cut data, and status of Philippine cassava industry.
Moreover, the resource speakers discussed and navigated the nutrient expert tool of cassava which is crucial to the extension service of the agricultural extension workers. The five-day training was applied and accredited by the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) and the Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Council of Agriculture.
“In this training of trainers on site specific nutrient management, I learned about the importance of SSNM in providing our cassava farmers the ideal fertilizer rates for their production. I think this training is very helpful in AEWs in facilitating our farmers in terms of fertilizer recommendation to their farm,” shared Romeo F. Pique Jr. of LGU-Guihulngan City, Negros Oriental.
Stable and dependable cassava production is enhanced by site-specific management, which raises nutrient levels to ideal levels. Thus, by guaranteeing a steady supply of this staple crop, this also promotes food security.
