Sunday, May 18, 2014

Trying new ones

Farmers plant for a living but they also need to find the right crop that fits well for the land that they till. This group of farmers knowing the low yield of growing vegetables is trying to grow sweet corn. The demand for this crop is high and hopefully this new crop will give them good yield.  Good luck farmers ... 

Tagum City farmers shift to sweet corn farming 

By Prix Digna D. Banzon

TAGUM CITY, Davao del Norte (PNA) -- About 30 farmers in this city have shifted to planting sweet corn from their long time vegetable growing that has not been giving them good results.

City agriculture office (CAGRO) chief Engr. Harold S. Dawa said the farmers started growing sweet corn in May this year which gave significant increase in their income.

He said their office is helping the farmers grow sweet corn in Barangay Madaum even as he said they will expand the program in barangays Mankilam and Pagsabangan.

"There is a big demand for sweet corn here and also in the neighboring provinces that is why they already have a captive market," he said.

He said they will assist the farmers in looking for other planting sites, in farm inputs and in marketing.
The sweet corn production was launched here in May 2013 when the city agriculture office was looking for an alternative on vegetable farming where production was low.

According to one grower, Bonifacio Montilla who is also president of the Madaum Vegetable and Sweet Corn Farmers Association, a 1,300 square-meter lot planted to one kilo of sweet corn seedlings generates an income of P25,000 in 72 days.

Louie Lapat of the city information office said this program is in line with the revitalized goal of Mayor Allan Rellon on food security.

Lapat said the city government will be acquiring the ten-hectare lot next year that the farmers used as planting site for their use. (PNA) CTB/ASA/DDB/ldp

Monday, April 7, 2014

Mother Earth needs us.   

And that call got the attention of one who never stopped his research on how to put to use used cooking oil. Instead of this used oil go to the drain and pollute the environment, why not collect them, the inventor needs volume of used oil to sustain his production that is now being used as an additives.  Sharing you my story based on my interview with the inventor ...

Davao dad to help collect used cooking oil for biofuel additive invention 


By Prix Digna D. Banzon


DAVAO CITY, Feb 5 (PNA) -- An invention by a Dabawenyo that processes used cooking oil into biofuel additives got the support of City Councilor Marissa Abella who is now looking at helping in the collection of raw materials in households.

Abella said this is also an area that needs to be looked at especially that government is pushing for the Clean Air Act in line with protecting the environment.

The councilor, who championed waste segregation and management in her District II, said she will coordinate with the barangays in her area as used cooking oil must be properly disposed of.Engineer Emeliano Quitiol of the EFQ Biofuel Additive said his invention is all about using used cooking oil and households are a big source for his raw material.

He said collecting these used oils instead of ending up in the drain will help in protecting the environment.

He said talks is ongoing where the barangay can help collect these waste products.
"We buy used oil at P15 per liter and gathering these waste products will provide me a good source for my project," he said.

Quitiol was able to access loan of over P900,000 from the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) for his project of processing cooking used oil to fuel additive that aims to improve vehicle engine combustion and ignition.

Based on results of the experiment they conducted, he said the additive increases the mileage of the vehicle by 10 to 20 percent as well as reduces the carbon emission at about 50 percent.

He said instead of the used cooking oil just be thrown anywhere, it could now be put to use.
"We are still promoting the product priced at P80 per vial. A vial is added to 30 liters of fuel to improve performance of the engine," he said.

He said at present there are already government agencies that are using the additives even as Quitiol said they want the EFQ Biofuel be made available in the market this year.
Quitiol said his processing plant can produce one million vials.

Quitiol started his invention in 2005 and got the DOST financial support in 2009. His project gained recognition during the Regional Invention Contest and Exhibit held in Davao City in 2011. As the region's representative to the national competition in 2012, the Quitiol invention was awarded second place. In 2013, his project became a qualifier in the International Exhibition of Inventors at Geneva, Switzerland.


Quitiol said they are now preparing for the 2014 international competition in Geneva. (PNA) 

LAM/ASA/DDBanzon/ldp