Infected with a complex strain of technological and economic crisis, the Philippine vegetable industry has been referred to in an almost ‘comatose’ condition for so many years, and it threatens the country’s food security.
Some experts say the present system of local agriculture is no longer suitable, especially in the vegetable industry, when there’s the fast-growing population, increasing hunger demand, rapid development of rural areas to become urban jungles, global warming, and climate change.
Facing these difficulties, different agencies of government responded and embarked on several projects that would lessen its impact by turning to science and technology.
Hydroponic, from the Greek words ‘hudor’ for water and ‘ponos’ for work, means ‘water working’, is not a new design of gardening/farming in the country but it is one of the smart agricultural technologies that can help the country ensure food security and to be climate resistant in the future.
Through this modern concept, Dr. Chito Sace of Hydroponics and Aquaponics Technology of the Central Luzon State University in Muñoz, Nueva Ecija, introduces another means of crop battlefield, known as Hydroponic Household Garden. It is a complete set of hydroponic system for leafy vegetables and herbs that one can easily manage even in the backyard.
This simple plant factory which can produce up to 360 plants per one square meter area takes place in a protected and controlled structure such as a greenhouse, that is funded by the Department of Science and Technology-Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources and Development.
Hydroponic Household Garden is a ‘soilless vegetable gardening’ model that uses a ‘one pump rule’ system, where one pump takes the water from the tank full of nutrient solution to the highest portion of the growing system. After 30 days or less, according to Dr. Sace, leafy vegetables and herbs are ready for harvest.
More production, water conservation and energy conservation are the three major benefits of this smart agricultural technology.
Dr. Sace recommends, in one of his video presentations, that the success of hydroponic garden is through passion and study of farming or gardening because it is very simple and easy to manage as the production is a cycle, just like how a crop is planted in soil, except the extra work such as hoeing, weeding, and watering.