A color-coded map which will show the nutritional status of the soil in specific areas of the country is now available on-line through www.farmersguidemap.gov.ph.
The Bureau of Soils and Water Management (BSWM) said the Philippine Fertilization Map will not only indicate the type but will also show the nutritional deficiency of the soil in specific areas.
The colour-coded Fertilization Guide Map, which is the latest feature of the National Color-Coded Agriculture Guide Map (NACCAG) launched by President Rody Duterte last month in Malacañang, will recommend what minerals and nutrients should be applied in the agricultural areas of the country.
More than that, the Fertilization Guide Map will even make a recommendation on the amount of nutrients and fertilisers needed to be applied in the surveyed area.
The scientific study which produced the National Fertilization Guide Map was started last year funded with P36-M by the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (DAF).
The BSWM has already conducted actual soil tests in 47 provinces with the results of the soils analysis in the remaining provinces expected to be completed in two months.
Last week, BSWM officials led by Director Angel Enriquez presented to the Secretary of Agriculture and Fisheries the maps covering the first provinces.
The data will be in-putted by NACCAG programmer Rollie Osayan in the www.farmersguidemap.gov.ph website so that it will be accessible to the farmers.
The National Fertilization Guide Map is the third feature of the www.farmersguidemap.gov.ph.
On March 7, in ceremonies in the Heroes Hall of Malacañang, President Duterte posted on-line the Crop Suitability Map of the NACCAG which shows what crops are suitable to be grown in specific areas of the country.
This was followed by the second feature of the NACCAG which is the National Water Availability Map which indicates the location of open sources of water like creeks, rivers and lakes and the depth of the water table in areas where there are no open sources.
The Water Availability Map is critical in the Small-Scale Irrigation Systems Project of the DAF because it will guide water drilling operations to areas where water is available.
The DAF is proposing a Small-Scale Irrigation Systems Project to complement the irrigation projects of the National Irrigation Administration (NIA).
This will include the Solar-Powered Irrigation System, Small Water-Impounding Projects, Shallow Tube Wells and other non-conventional water generation systems like Ram Pump and Windmill-Driven water pumps.
The National Fertilization Guide Map will finally put an end to the guessing game the farmers have been practising in applying soil nutrients and fertilisers in their farms.
(First two photos taken by Mayette Tudlas; the NACCAG concept diagram provided and other photos provided by AMIA and AFID.)
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