The Department of Agriculture (DA) is intensifying efforts to increase farm productivity through the nationwide deployment of the Bureau of Soils and Water Management’s (BSWM) mobile soil testing laboratories (MSL).
DA officer-in-charge and Undersecretary for Operations Roger Navarro urged farmers to maximize the free services of the MSLs to enhance yields and make data-driven decisions on seed selection, fertilizer use and other farm inputs.
“The DA is offering these services free of charge to farmers growing rice, corn, high-value crops, vegetables and root crops. This is a valuable tool to help increase productivity while protecting soil health,” Navarro said.
Each mobile lab, valued at around P42 million, can analyze up to 44 parameters that include soil chemical, physical, microbiological and water chemical properties.
The MSL, a major component of the National Soil Health Program that seeks to make soil testing accessible, reliable and precise, particularly in remote agricultural areas, is now deployed across all 17 DA Regional Field Offices.
The pilot rollout in Tarlac earlier this year yielded encouraging results with about 543 analyzed soil samples and 346 fertilizer recommendations covering 25 high-value crops.
A total of 584 farmers and local stakeholders were trained in soil testing and sustainable fertilizer management.
In just seven weeks, the MSL generated soil health and fertility maps, soil health monitoring reports and personalized soil health cards — tools designed to guide farmers in achieving optimal land productivity.
The DA noted that soil health is a smart financial investment that allows farmers to reduce input costs, improve yields and crop quality, minimize risks from drought or nutrient imbalance and maintain long-term soil productivity.
By investing in soil health, the DA is helping farmers make smarter, science-based decisions — leading to higher profitability, greater resilience and a stronger foundation for Philippine agriculture. Othel V. Campos
