MMSU to strengthen bamboo production in Ilocos Norte

By Daniel P. Tapaoan, Jr. 

 

To help advance the bamboo industry, Mariano Marcos State University (MMSU) is eyeing to strengthen the bamboo production system in Ilocos Norte starting this year.

 

MMSU was granted with Php 1.2 million fund from the Department of Agriculture (DA) to implement this research for development (R4D) project. 

 

This initiative aims to enhance bamboo production and profitability through the application of bamboo technologies from nursery establishment, production of planting materials and rehabilitation of bamboo stands.

 

The project also aims to develop cost-effective and environment-friendly bamboo production system, and nurture the knowledge system in bamboo production and management. 

 

Moreover, the project is expected to produce the following outputs: rehabilitated/rejuvenated 300 bamboo stands; two community bamboo nurseries; and 200 bamboo propagules. Bamboo farmers will also be trained on the production of quality bamboo planting materials and the rehabilitation and management of bamboo stands.

 

Dr. Joselito Rosario, project leader, said the R4D initiative will apply the MMSU’s generated bamboo technologies: One Node Technology, Poles per Year (PoPeYe) Technology, and rejuvenation techniques for existing bamboo stands.

 

One Node Technology uses single node of bamboo in the production of planting materials, while PoPeYe is a rehabilitation technology for unmanaged bamboo stands to produce good quality poles. 

 

Rejuvenation techniques for unmanaged old kawayan tinik stands include the following: remove mature and defective/dead bamboo poles; clean/remove/cut the branches from the ground up to two meters; apply two kilograms complete fertilizer per year; and hilling-up or covering the base of bamboo clump with soil. 

 

Collaborating agencies are the DA Regional Field Office 1, city government of Batac, and local government units of Paoay and Badoc. Partner farmer cooperatives and associations are the Sitio Katartaraan Morong Farmer's Association, Inc. in Badoc, Mabaleng Bamboo Craft Makers' Association in Batac, and Mumulaan Farmers Multi-Purpose Cooperative, Inc. in Paoay. 

 

Other bamboo farmers and potential farmer-cooperators will also be identified in coordination with the respective city/municipal agricultural officers. 

 

Rosario hopes the project will hasten the production of quality planting materials for the establishment of bamboo plantations, and will enhance the shoot and pole production of existing bamboo stands, thereby increasing supply of bamboo poles for the growing bamboo industry. 

 

The certificate of award for the project was received by Dr. Charlie Batin in an awarding ceremony held at Teatro Ilocandia last December 15, 2021. The project will be implemented by a group of researchers from the College of Agriculture, Food and Sustainable Development (CAFSD) and Research Directorate. (StratCom)
 

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