MABALACAT CITY, Pampanga—Mango planters here held a field day on a Bataan university mango model farm highlighting best practices in raising and propagating the world’s best-selling tropical fruit.
The Bataan Peninsula State University and the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development jointly assumed the pilot mango farm project as they envisioned the farming methods to be applied a model for science and technology.
The mango model farm project is being implemented in collaboration with Zoocobia, a leisure zoo in Clark Freeport, and mango farmers belonging to Samanaka cooperative.
“This is a challenge to all mango farmers to follow.
The techniques and methods we are showcasing in this pilot farm is innovative and focused on maximizing yields of fruit-bearing trees such as mango, said Dr. Hermogenes Paguia, BPSU director of Research and Development Office and project leader of the mango orchards in the area.
For his part, TTPD PCAARRD Director Dr. Melvin Carlos said that there must be convergence and institutionalization in the farm and it is best for all to adopt the proven science and technology interventions in mango farming.”
The mango model farm project here came following the conclusion in 2015 of the research project Science and Technology Community-Based Farming (STCBF) on mango production in Bataan involving 15 mango orchard farmers.
Carlos assured the farmers the DoST will continue to help the farmers.