Science-based farming to boost agri yields, cut costs - Marcos

President Marcos has underscored the importance of science-based farming as he led the awarding of this year's Gawad Saka national winners, and announced the rollout of 16 mobile soil laboratories across all regions.

- By ARGYLL CYRUS GEDUCOS

In his remarks during the presen-tation of the 50th Gawad Saka national awardees in Muñoz, Nueva Ecija, the President said the mobile soil labs will help reduce input costs by providing region-based data on what interventions are needed per farm.

"Phase 1 pa lang ito (This is just phase 1)," he said on Monday, June 30.

"Sa aking palagay ha, unang salta pa lang, mababawasan ang gastos natin dahil alam na alam ngayon natin kung gaano karami ang ilalagay na ayuda na fertilizer, kung gaano titigil (In my opinion, even on the first roll-out, we can lower our costs because we now know exactly how much fertilizer support to give, and when to stop)," he added.

According to Marcos, the project would bring "major savings" since the government would know the right amount to apply.

"Kaya malaking mababawas sa ating gastos kasi alam na alam na natin, eksakto lang ang ibibigay natin (That's why there will be major savings since we now know precisely what to apply)," he said.