Better-tasting Chocolate Drink With Improved Tablea Processing Technology

TABLEA, or chocolate liquor, in a bar can be a thick disc, flat, or square in form used to make a hot chocolate beverage. It is made from local cacao beans using fermentation and roasting processes that have been improved and standardized to give the best quality chocolate beverage.

Grafted Ampalaya Gives 37 Harvests Vs. 15-18 Of Ungrafted

THE TALK of the town among vegetable growers today is grafted ampalaya. Why? Last year, EastWest Seed’s new Farm Ready grafted ampalaya seedlings were released to selected farmers for field trial. The farmers included those from Central Luzon and Calabarzon area. One of those who bought grafted seedlings was Doming Castro of Floridablanca, Pampanga, according to Ric Reyes, East-West Seed’s Marketing and Strategy consultant.

Bayer's Dual Trait Arize Az 8433 Dt Hybrid Rice Combats Insect Pests As Well As Diseases

The Future of Rice Farming: Arize AZ 8433 DT combats harmful pests and bacterial disease Arize AZ 8433 DT: Innovative Dual Trait hybrid rice variety combats BPH and BLB

Eggplant Resistant To Insect Pests Being Developed

A PROJECT funded and monitored by the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST-PCAARRD) will develop improved eggplant varieties with increased resistance against insect pests, specifically eggplant fruit and shoot borer (EFSB) and leafhopper.

WV Farmers Urged To Report Crop Pest Incidents Immediately

ILOILO CITY – Farmers shall immediately report any cases of pest and diseases incidents in their areas to curb damage on crops especially rice, said Ryan Rasgo, chief of the Regional Crop Protection Center (RCPC) of the Department of Agriculture (DA) Western Visayas.

Hot Chili Aficionados Form A Formidable Group

SEVEN GROUPS which are involved in one way or another in hot chilies have now formed a formidable front under the umbrella of what Ponchit Ponce Enrile started in 2014 - ChiliHeads Philippines which staged with much fanfare the first Chili Festival that year. They have formed a federation.

Regenerative Farming: The Secret Is In The Soil

WE HAVE LOST 80 billion tons of carbon from our soils. This lost carbon is now hovering over our atmosphere and warming the planet. That may be why it barely rained in November, and why it feels like summer in February.

Veggie Flour For Better Nutrition

AN ENTERPRISING NURSE who worked for three years in the United States came back to the Philippines ten years ago so she could put up a social enterprise project that could benefit the less fortunate.

SL Agritech Ignites New Hope For Marawi Through Farming

KEEPING TRUE to its commitment to help in the rehabilitation of war-torn Marawi, SL Agritech, the major hybrid rice producer in the country, celebrated the first harvest festival in the 50-hectare technology demonstration farm planted with SL hybrid rice seeds. The milestone was also witnessed by Go Negosyo and the local government unit of Lanao del Sur together with the Maranao farmers.

Bougainvilleas Becoming The New Trend?

THE HORTICULTURE INDUSTRY, especially ornamental plants for landscaping and other purposes, can provide excellent income opportunities for small time operators as well as the bigger operators. It is one business that offers inclusive growth.

The Name Of The Game Is Farm Mechanization

PHILIPPINE AGRICULTURE needs a big boost at this time if we are to be competitive with other ASEAN countries. And that big boost can come from farm mechanization.

Indigenous Farmers To Produce World-Class Coffee

ZERO EXTREME POVERTY 2030 (ZEP 2030) recently organized the first-ever Coffee Fest 2018, gathering indigenous peoples (IPs) who have taken up coffee farming, with the goal of increasing their production in preparation for commercial demand. This way, ZEP 2030 aims to build a sustainable source of livelihood for IPs, IP families who comprise a fifth of the 1 million extremely poor families targeted by the coalition.

Lake Sebu Biodiversity To Be Assessed

THE BIODIVERSITY OF LAKE SEBU, one of the most popular tourist attractions in South Cotabato, will be assessed in a Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Grants in Aid (GIA) funded project.

I Practice Multiple Cropping In My Rubber Farm

I AM A WEEKEND FARMER, employed as a college professor at the Central Mindanao University in Musuan, Bukidnon. I want to show that I don’t only know how to teach but also how to practice in the farm what I teach.

What Is Happening To Our Farmed Tilapia Industry

THE INTRODUCED TILAPIA is the second most important farmed or cultured fish in the country next to our native milkfish. In 2016, we produced 300,720 metric tons (MT) of tilapia (mainly the Nile tilapia) from farms (86%) and fishing from inland waters (14%) with a value of R24 billion. Our production of farmed tilapia in 2015 was 260,966 MT with 54% coming from freshwater ponds, 30% from freshwater cages, 8% from freshwater pens and 7% from brackishwater ponds. Most of the farmed tilapia production was from Luzon (92%), with Mindanao and the Visayas contributing only 6% and 2%, respectively.

Appreciating Organic Farming

After Appreciating Climate Change (1st of a series), we are now tackling Organic Farming because, scientists tell us, and I, as a disciple of organic farming for 50 years, am convinced myself, that organic farming has a big, big role to play in what citizens can do to fight climate change, and in a manner, that is very much intelligent.

They Dared To Be Different And Won

In our coverage of agriculture, we sometimes come across unusual strategies that can make their proponents big winners. In Taiwan, for instance, the leisure farm that comes to mind is the Flying Cow Ranch in the county of Miaoli.

Practical Tips On How To Grow Culinary Herbs

IS GROWING CULINARY HERBS relatively easy? Is it easy? For me it is not easy, but since I love cooking, I chose to grow culinary herbs in my garden. A culinary herb is a plant without a woody stem that dies back at the end of each growing season. Herbs were once considered a gift of the gods. Today, herbs are popular in many home gardens where the leaves are used for flavoring or the entire part.

Rediscovering Our Minor Forest Products

WHEN WE TALK about forests, it is most certain that timber and wood products would come into our minds.

A Lot Of People Are Interested In Hydroponics

IT IS AMAZING how farming and gardening enthusiasts are braving inclement weather just to attend the lecture on hydroponics. On July 21, 2018, it was raining very hard and many streets were under water. Yet, more than 150 enthusiasts braved the heavy rains and flooded streets to attend the lecture of Engr. Wilson Testa on growing vegetables the hydroponics way.

Chef Highlights The Importance Of Local Agriculture In Filipino Cuisine And Culture

WHAT WE GROW, be it food crops or livestock, isn’t just what we eat--it’s also part of what makes up who we are. This is the message that chef Jam Melchor wants to send. The chef has been on a crusade to popularize Filipino food within the Philippines by setting it in the context of culture. “Other countries have a University of Gastronomy whereas here, it’s always an afterthought,” Melchor says in Tagalog. “We don’t give it importance.”

Local Brewery Uses Indigenous Fruits To Create Signature Spirits

RAOUL MASANGCAY, founder and head brewer of Elias Wicked Ales and Spirits, a microbrewery based in Quezon City, seeks to create a name for itself in the beer industry with local produce by exploring the different, and somewhat uncommon products that can be made from them.

Luxury Integrated Resort Takes Steps Toward Sustainability

FOLLOWING ITS COMMITMENT to long-term sustainable programs, City of Dreams Manila has established ecoefficient operations such as vermicomposting and plant propagation on its property.

Mangosteen In Summer: It's Not Magic, It's Science

SUMMER is a favorite season to many for the warm vibes it brings, the longer days to spend outdoors, and time to crave for those mouth-watering fruits to keep energized and hydrated.

Producing Insect Meal And Oil For Fish Feeds

THE USE OF COMMERCIAL FEEDS in aquaculture can be 60-70% of the total cost of production. The high cost is attributed to the cost of feed ingredients such as fish meal and oil, which are becoming short in supply and expensive. Substitutes for such ingredients that are more available and affordable are needed by the industry. One such animal protein and energy source for fish feeds that has promise is insect meal and oil.

Mutant Papaya Has Long Fruit With Small Cavity, Sweet And Juicy

THIS RED PAPAYA shown here is something you will really love to eat because its thick flesh is sweet and juicy. This is not a hybrid developed by the major seed companies. It is a mutant that came out in our farm in Teresa, Rizal.

Millennial From Rizal Creates Do-it-yourself Vermicomposting Kit To Help Reduce Household Food Waste

A MILLENNIAL from Rizal has turned her interest in vermicomposting and reducing food waste into a growing side business.

The Amazing Revival In The Cultivation Of Tropical Fruit Trees

THERE ARE MANY tropical fruit trees grown for high income in South East Asia. These include pummelo, tamarind, guava, durian, longkong (lanzones), magosteen, jackfruit, mango, and many others. I carried out recent updates on three kinds of fruit trees, namely, durian, mangosteen, and longkong by visiting the production regions in Malaysia and Thailand. These countries are the leading and trendsetters in the cultivation of these fruit trees.

Bgc School's Gardening Initiatives Helps Mold Kids Into Global Citizens

THERE’S A GROWING worldwide concern on food security, and on young people being detached from how their food is grown.

Growing Tilapia In A Raceway

RACEWAY, or flow-through system, is one of the earliest methods used to culture freshwater species. It usually consists of rectangular basins or canals with an inlet and outlet wherein continuous water flow in and out to provide the required level of water quality.