Angono New Normal Farmers’ Association (ANNFA)—a people’s organization of senior
citizen farmers based in Angono, Rizal—received Training on Natural Farm Input
Preparation and Application last 17 March 2022 in Hillsdale Subdivision, Barangay Isidro,
Angono, Rizal.
The Department of Science and Technology Provincial Science and Technology Center in
Rizal (DOST-Rizal) organized the activity, inviting Mr. Villamor A. Ladia, Jr., University
Researcher, and Mr. Anthony Vicencio, Farm Manager, both from the Institute of Plant
Breeding of the University of the Philippines Los Baños, as resource speakers.
Formed at the height of the pandemic, ANNFA was organized to respond to food security
issues in Angono. To help the community vegetable farmers of ANNFA sustain their
production while minimizing their production expenses, DOST-Rizal facilitated the conduct
of the training, complementing its other initiatives under the DOST – Philippine Council for
Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development (DOST-
PCAARRD)-funded project, “Employing Hydroponics and Community Vegetable Gardening
Technologies to alleviate COVID-19 Threats to Food Security in Selected Municipalities in
Region IV-A.”
ANNFA members prepared the materials and tools for farm input preparation, such as
vegetable trimmings, overripe fruits, shells, weighing scale, mortar and pestle, chopping
board, and knife. Mr. Ladia, Jr., with the assistance of Mr. Vicencio, demonstrated and
assisted the farmers in the making of four types of natural fertilizers: Fermented Plant Juice
(FPJ) from vegetable trimmings; Fermented Fruit Juice (FFJ) from overripe fruits; Oriental
Herb Nutrient (OHN) from strong scented and spicy plants, such as lemongrass and ginger;
and Water-Soluble Calcium (WSC) from eggshells.
Mr. Ladia, Jr. also explained the varying uses of each fertilizer type as follows: FPJ for plant
growth and nutrient supply; FFJ for flowering and initial bearing of fruits; OHN to get rid of
insects; and WSC for fruit bearing and to boost plant health.
The training received good feedback from the farmer-participants. DOST-Rizal Provincial
Director Fernando Ablaza thanked the speakers, and met with the ANNFA members during
the activity to provide insights on current and future engagements of the provincial office
with the farmers’ group.
