BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya—Agricultural land degradation and unstable agricultural production are the two main threats to maintaining the increase of per capita income of the province, the provincial development plan revealed.
The Nueva Vizcaya Provincial Development and Physical Framework Plan also said the unregulated use of prohibited chemicals as farm inputs is contributing to the degrading of agricultural land, leading to poor farm production.
“The continuous application of prohibited chemicals increases the toxicity level of the soil that will ultimately deplete its productivity,” the plan, a study commissioned by the provincial government, said.
The excessive use of chemicals (inorganic fertilizers or pesticides) resulted in the low soil fertility (depleting soil nutrients). “This is one of the major causes of inability of maintaining the increase in per capita income in the province,” it added.
Agriculture is the main industry of Nueva Vizcaya, with rice, corn, fruits and vegetables as major crops. The province is a major producer of citrus fruits in the country, such as pomelo, ponkan (Chinese honey orange) and oranges.
Prior to the operations of large-scale mining firms in 2013, the decline in agricultural production was already an existing issue, the plan confirmed. It also recognized the growing mining industry through two foreign-owned mining firms, which has added to the provincial income.
According to the Mines and Geosciences Bureau, deposits of metallic minerals in the province are copper, gold, molybdenum and pyrite, particularly in the towns of Kasibu with the Didipio Copper and Gold Project and Quezon with the Runruno Gold-Molybdenum project.
The provincial development plan said the low and unstable agricultural production is influenced by several factors. One is the conversion of land from agricultural to non-agricultural uses such as housing, sparked by a growing population that increases demand for housing.
Large under-utilized agricultural land, under-optimized production, the prevalence of pests and diseases, limited local source of quality breeders or planting materials, the lack of farmer access to reliable market information system, and low soil fertility or depleting soil nutrients are other factors.
The large under-utilized agricultural land and under-optimized production are both affected by limited infrastructure, the plan said.
Both under-optimized production and the prevalence of pests and diseases are caused by the slow adoption or transfer of technology to farmers due to surging cost of inputs, non-market-driven research and development, and non-utilization of indigenous resources.
“This is aggravated by the limited dissemination of research and development outputs and inadequate number and capability of implementers which are both affected by ambivalent policies on use of chemicals,” the plan added.