Memorandum Circular No. 20, Series of 2020 adopting the Adaptive Balanced Fertilization Management for Enhanced Crop Production and Increased Income for Rice Farmers

.. '" itGC-' ,~:~';,~ Republic of the Philippines ,,-~~ 1 :[ij'r;~\ OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY " Ell iptical Road. Dillman 1100 Quezon City MEMORANDUM CIRCULAR NO. 2.0 SERIES OF 2020 SUBJECT ADOPTION OF THE ADAPTIVE BALANCED FERTILIZATION MANAGEMENT FOR ENHANCED CROP PRODUCTION AND INCREASED INCOME FOR RICE FARMERS WHEREAS, on August 27, 1997, the Department of Agriculture (DA) Bureau of Soils and Water Management (BSWM) adopted the Balanced Fertilization Strategy through the issuance of Presidential Proclamation No. 1071; WHEREAS, the Balanced Fertilization Strategy: is a site-specific nutrient management recognized by researchers to be the key to improve fertilizer use efficiency; refers to the application of plant nutrients in optimum quantities in the right proportion through the appropriate methods at the time suited for a specific crop and agro-climatic condition; and leads to soil health building; WHEREAS, the occurrence of climate change characterized by extreme rainfall, flooding, and drought resulted to land degradation specifically a decline in soil fertility which necessitates adjustments in the cropping and nutrient management systems; WHEREAS, the DA-BSWM in partnership with the United Nations Development Program implemented a project on Sustainable Land Management (SLM) Practices to Address Land Degradation and Mitigate Effects of Drought otherwise known as the SLM Project which aims to strengthen SLM frameworks to address land degradation process and mitigate the effects of drought in the Philippines through effective national enabling environment to promote integrated landscape management; and long-term capacities and incentives in place for local communities and LGUs to uptake SLM practices in two targeted municipalities in the Philippines; WHEREAS, the SLM Project transformed and advanced the balanced fertilization strategy into a climate-smart adaptation practice with co-benefits to mitigation of climate change - the Adaptive Balanced Fertilization Management (ABFM) - through a participatory building of SLM knowledge and capacity thru Farmer-to-Farmer, Big to Small Brother co-learning of ABFM Practices against soil nutrient mining for sustaining soil health and food security; ~a-secure 'Pfii{ipyines wilfi yrosyerous farmers ana fisfteifori Republic of the Philippines OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY Elliptica l Road, Diliman 1100 Quezon City WHEREAS, the SLM Project developed the Adaptive Land Management Strategies to address soil fertility decline in the lowland which consists of the optimum use and combination of organic (rice straw incorporation) and inorganic fertilizers in the proper amounts and timing for supplying the correct ratio of plant nutrients which ensures that the soil will sustain high crop yield over long cropping periods without losing its soil nutrient reserves; and regular monitoring of crop stand to provide solution to farm level land degradation concerns as manifested by the biological indicators such as leaf color, weed species, root system, and yield. WHEREAS, the adoption of the ABFM has the following components: Soil Component combination of organic and inorganic fertilizers; Cropping System Component promotion crop diversification such as next to rice, leguminous crops will be planted; and Big to Small Brother Ladderized Approach - consultation of best and traditional farmers; WHEREAS, the final recommendation for soil health restoration and sustainable soil productivity is the adoption of crop diversification such that leguminous crops and high value short grown crops be planted next to rice and strict adherence to the amount and timing of fertilizer application should be practiced; WHEREAS, the BSWM developed the Soil Health Card and Crop Performance Monitoring to evaluate success in the adoption of the Adaptive Balanced Fertilization Management; NOW, THEREFORE, I, William D. Dar, Ph.D., Secretary of the Department of Agriculture, hereby issue this Circular on the Adoption of the Adaptive Balanced Fertilization Management for Enhanced Crop Production and Increased Income of Rice Farmers. All the DA Staff Offices, Regional Field Offices (RF Os), and its attached agencies, bureaus, corporations shall coordinate with the BSWM for technical assistance on the implementation of the Adaptive Balanced Fertilization Management. This Memorandum Circular shall take effect immediately upon approval. Done this 1 rd day of J~vne. 2020. WILLIAM D. DAR, Ph.D. Secretary Ol 1-' Al,m ,u NT OJ- AC. 1--ICUL TUR[: :lll1t l:dl! ll~l~d/;/d1: lllillllllii llill Uilib!f; ,1, 11..;·.:r111i, ~,:: . ... rri, t t-. ,., .:.u~k For S1gn,1lurc : S-06-10-0030 Recc1·,,,iJ 0.'."a06/20'."!0 11.07 AM J\ food"-secure Pfii{iyyines willi prosperous farmers an.a JislierJofft , -~aJlllJCUUUIIJ A~n \ :11ataaJ IUl Kl'ltt:t \ .. - --- -- . . --------;