A farmer uses a mechanized plow to prepare a rice field in Baras, Rizal on August 6, 2024, Farmworkers Appreciation Day. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News
MANILA — As the Philippines braces for the effects of a potentially very strong El Niño, the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) is ramping up the deployment of science-based technologies designed to help farmers make better decisions on irrigation, fertilization, and crop management amid increasingly unpredictable weather conditions.
Leading the initiative are two climate-smart technologies: the SARAI Automatic Weather Station (AWS) under the Smarter Approaches to Reinvigorate Agriculture as an Industry (SARAI) CeNTRO program and an integrated Automated Furrow Irrigation System (AFIS) paired with the Nutrio® biofertilizer, both of which were showcased Tuesday in Paniqui and Tarlac City, Tarlac.
Originally launched in 2013, Project SARAI has evolved into a nationwide digital agriculture platform that combines localized weather observations, satellite remote sensing, crop models and geographic information systems to generate farm-specific advisories.
The DOST is expanding this technology nationwide through its regional offices with P600 million funding.
At the heart of the rollout is the Automatic Weather Station, an automated monitoring system that continuously measures rainfall, temperature, humidity, solar radiation, wind conditions, atmospheric pressure, soil moisture and soil temperature.
According to Moises Dorado, project leader of SARAI CeNTRO, the value of the technology lies not merely in collecting weather data but in translating localized information into actionable farming decisions.
"Itong automatic weather station, magbibigay ito sa atin iyong tinatawag nating site-specific na information katulad ng rainfall, temperature, solar radiation, humidity na talagang angkop para dito sa nasasakupan na lugar. Ang effectivity nito mga 20 kilometers [radius] kapag relatively flat at saka pare-pareho ang halimbawa iyong tanim o iyong land cover," Dorado explained.
The AWS installed in Tarlac has an effective monitoring radius of up to 20 kilometers, allowing it to provide localized weather information to surrounding farming communities.
The collected data are transmitted in near real time and translated into practical advisories that farmers can use to guide day-to-day operations.
"Halimbawa, iyong pag-iirrigate nila, nakikita nila kung kailangan ba na mag-irrigate o dahil may forecast, hindi na sila mag-irrigate," he said.
"Kaya halimbawa ang forecast ay mataas na rainfall, hindi na sila mag-fertilize during that day kasi ma-expect mo baka ma-wash out lang ang fertilizer," he added.
Unlike national weather forecasts that may rely on stations located far from farming communities, AWS provides site-specific observations that better reflect actual conditions in the field.
Dorado said this becomes especially critical during prolonged dry spells associated with El Niño.
The system also includes soil sensors that monitor both soil moisture and soil temperature, allowing farmers to determine whether irrigation is necessary even when there has been no recent rainfall.
"Iyong isang sensor na moisture at saka temperature ng lupa na mo-monitor din. Kaya alam mo, kahit na hindi pa umuulan, baka meron pa namang laman na tubig iyong soil," he said.
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SMART IRRIGATION SYSTEM AND FERTILIZER
Complementing the weather monitoring system is another DOST-backed technology aimed at improving sugarcane production.
The Automated Furrow Irrigation System (AFIS) combines irrigation flow models, field sensors and automated controls to apply the right amount of water at the right time. Integrated with the microbial-based Nutrio® biofertilizer, the technology reduces water use, labor requirements and inorganic fertilizer consumption while increasing crop productivity.
According to DOST, AFIS enables farmers to monitor soil moisture through mobile and web applications while solar-powered operations reduce energy costs. Automation also delivers about 40% labor savings and 20% water savings, while Nutrio® can cut inorganic fertilizer use by 25% to 50%.
In its implementation in Paniqui, Tarlac, the combined technologies produced sugarcane yields of up to 178.70 tons per hectare, significantly higher than conventional farming practices.
For Marlon Gamboa, a sugarcane farmer from Paniqui, the technologies have translated into lower production costs, higher yields and greater confidence heading into the expected El Niño.
"Iyong Nutrio kasi ang laki ng tulong bukod doon sa cost, nakapagbawas kami ng synthetic fertilizer o iyong urea o ammosul na sinasabi. Kung dati ginagamit namin 8 o 10 [bags], nagiging 4 [na bags] na lang. At na-a-apply namin siya nang maayos kahit walang tubig iyong lupa," he explained.
"Nadagdagan pa nitong solar irrigation o itong AFIS na at any given time kami nakakapagpatubig. In terms of yield o iyong taas ng production, more than double actually iyong naging resulta. Syempre kapag gano'n, iyong kita mas nadagdagan ng mas malaki sa ating mga magsasaka," he added.
Gamboa said the technologies could also help farmers better withstand the dry conditions expected during El Niño by ensuring water remains available for irrigation while reducing dependence on diesel-powered pumps.
Speaking during the media briefing, DOST Undersecretary for Research and Development Leah Buendia said the technologies demonstrate how government-funded research can directly address climate-related challenges confronting Philippine agriculture.
"PCAARRD delivers to our farmers and fisher folks iyong mga science-based at smart agriculture solutions para po ma-address ang mga extreme weather conditions, katulad po ngayon ng El Niño," Buendia said.
As climate variability continues to threaten agricultural production, Buendia said wider adoption of technologies such as AWS, AFIS and Nutrio® could help farmers better manage water resources, reduce production costs and improve resilience against prolonged drought and extreme weather.
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