The Philippines Action Plan to Combat Desertification, Land Degradation, Drought and Poverty - Combating Desertification in Asia, Africa and the Middle East - page 299

Table 15.4 List of farming and other technologies adopted by farmers in Lantapan, Bukidnon
Sustainable farming practices

Specific technology/approach

Diversified farming/multiple cropping Intercropping

Sloping land agricultural technology
(SALT*)

Contour plowing, contour hedges, any contour
barriers, SALT 1,2,3 and 4 (including livestock)
Soil and water conservation (SWC) Mulching, cover cropping, minimum tillage, drip
irrigation
Integrated crop management (ICM) Integrated pest management (IPM), Soil testing,
crop rotation, Faming technology system
(NFTS)
Farm forestry Diversification of tree species (exotic, indigenous,
fruit, nuts)
Farm waste management and recycling Composting, segregation (liquid and solid)
Clean energy briquette production Using rice hulls, charcoal, farm waste
Community clean and green projects Riparian improvement, water quality monitoring
Source: Nguyen et al. ( 2006 ) (See Watson and Laquihon 1993 )

4.2.3 Population Growth

The Philippine population is growing at an annual growth rate of 2.3 %. This
increase in population is accompanied by increasing requirements for food, clothing
and settlements. To improve crop yield, extensive use of chemical inputs such as
inorganic fertilizers, herbicides and pesticides has been popularized which left the
soil very acidic and unfit for production in the long run. While the demand for meat
and meat products continue to increase, grazing lands for cattle, goat and other
ruminants are extensively utilized.
The increasing demand for human settlement and other non-agricultural purposes
has contributed to the great loss of prime lands. This resulted to the opening of
ecologically fragile lands. Approximately 74 % of the sloping uplands are actively
used for subsistence farming in order to augment the demand for food supply
and increase income. Soil erosion is a major constraint to sustaining food crop
production on sloping lands in the Philippines. Degradation of land resources, where
the livelihood of farming communities depends on soil is a serious problem. In tree
depleted landscapes with poor soils and risk-prone environments, farming systems
based on monoculture are not sustainable, but integrating trees, and contour hedges
to control soil erosion, increase income of farmers, and improve farm environmental
services (ES) particularly on carbon sequestration, offer better prospects and a
viable option for smallholders. Table 15.4 lists some technologies adopted by
farmers in Lantapan.
Soil erosion, soil infertility, poor tree cover, and poor farm productivity are major
barriers. Integration of trees into intensive vegetable farming systems with minimal
negative interaction can increase productivity, profitability, nutrient use efficiency
and ES.