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THE MUNICIPAL AGRICULTURAL & FISHERIES COUNCIL OF GUBAT, SORSOGON | page 2
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As a result, we came up with a different plan for calendar year 2003. We decided to give priority to only two clusters and to limit the number of programs and projects to be monitored to only seven. The seven priority projects have been chosen on the basis of their high economic impact and the likelihood of expansion and/or replication of the projects in other barangays. These projects are the following:
1. SEAWEED FARMING DEVELOPMENT PROJECT
Status:
There are about 2, 000 hectares of marine waters used as fishing grounds that have been found to be suitable for seaweed farming. Illegal fishing is rampant in these and has reached such proportions that the fishing grounds suffer heavily from heavy degradation and depletion.
Seaweed farming started two years ago and initial results are encouraging. Two organizations, the St. John Seaweed Farmers Cooperative, Inc. in Barangay Rizal and the Bagacay Seaweed Farmers and Traders Association in Barangay Bagacay, are now engaged in EUCHUMA seaweeds farming. Many members of these organizations are former blast fishers.
Roles of MAFC:
- Passed Resolution # 03-s-03 "Requesting Sorsogon PAFC to follow up Seaweeds Industry Association of the Philippines (SIAP) for the seminar for seaweed growers" which was favorably acted upon by Sorsogon PAFC
- Organized the seaweed farmers into an association and required the members to attend MAFC-sponsored technical trainings
- Worked for the inclusion of Gubat as a pilot area for seaweed production program under the Seaweed Industry Association of the Philippines (SIAP) which provides financial, technical, and marketing assistance (There is an existing marketing agreement with Philippine Carrageenan Refining Co., Inc.)
- Attendance in the meetings of the officers of the seaweed association and representatives of concerned agencies to help them in the formulation of project plans, programs and policies
- Works for the passage of a seaweed ordinance that regulates seaweed development by setting appropriate policies and guidelines
Expected Project Impact:
- Automatic eradication of illegal fishing in the project areas. Once the seaweed farms are fully planted with seaweeds, illegal fishing will stop. The illegal fishers will have shifted to seaweed farming as their alternative livelihood since it offers much bigger income.
- Enable the coastal areas to recover from resource degradation and attract fishes to come near the shore so they will be caught through legal means
- To develop a more lucrative and more lasting farming livelihood project
- To serve as source of revenue for the local government
2. AGRO-WASTE RECYCLING PROJECT
Status:
An Agro-Waste Recycling Center has been constructed in Barangay Cabigaan. This project enjoys full LGU support. For the composting component of the project, the LGU has put up a laboratory inside the Municipal Hall grounds which produces trichoderma, a fungus that hastens the decomposition process of rice straw and cattle manure which are used as raw materials in the production of organic fertilizer. For the carbonized rice hull component, the LGU has funded the fabrication of three carbonizers which char discarded rice hulls so they can be used: a] as rooting medium (for hybrid palay seedlings to prevent root damages caused by pulling), b] as potting medium (when mixed with garden soil), and c] to increase the water-holding capacity of soil since carbonized rice hull gives ample soil aeration.
Roles of MAFC:
- Passed Resolution # 05-s-03 "Requesting LGU-Gubat to allocate fund for fabrication of rice hull carbonizer" which was favorably acted upon by the municipal government with a grant of P18, 000.00 which allowed the fabrication of 3 rice hull carbonizers
- Assist in information dissemination on the economic uses of compost or recycled waste and carbonized rice hull
- Assist in conducting demonstrations to farmers the simple process of formulating compost fertilizers
Expected Project Impact:
- The big volumes of agricultural waste are converted into useful organic fertilizers
- There will come a time when use of compost fertilizers attain a general acceptability by majority of the farmers to minimize their expenses on fertilizer needs and finally make themselves self-reliant on fertilizer needs
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