A forum titled “Revisiting the Organic Fertilizer Issue in Rice” has been set for November 26 at the SEARCA Umali Auditorium at the UP Los Banos campus under the auspices of Asia Rice Foundation.

In a statement, Kwanchai Gomez, ARF executive director, said that the search for an efficient, economic and environmental-friendly nutrient management has focused attention on the proliferation of organic fertilizers of varied formulations and extraordinary claims that leave stakeholders confused.

Gomez observes that the use of organic amendments such as straw and guano was advocated as alternative fertilizer when the price of chemical fertilizers reached unreasonable height during the crisis of fossil fuel in the 1970s. And in the 1980s, azolla and green manure were strongly promoted. Then in more recent years the farmer has been inundated with organic fertilizers, foliar fertilizers and inoculants. Despite the numerous government programs in support of organic fertilizers, however, the farmers still adhere to chemical fertilizers.

What could be the reasons? These will be tackled at the forum.

Another problem that ARF observes is the employment of blanket fertilizer recommendations, either for organic or chemical fertilizer, that are independent of water regime and soil condition. This problem, the statement said, needs to be addressed bearing in mind that rice is grown in three water regimes, namely submerged, rainfed and upland. Soils planted to rice under flooded condition undergo chemical transformation very different from that under upland condition. The availability of nutrients that affect plant growth depend on the physical, chemical and biological properties of the soil. Thus, the concern is the suitability of a fertilizer for a particular soil condition.

Dr. Gomez said that the goal of the forum is to exchange and share information on the use of organic fertilizers in rice production in the Philippines, such as why despite interventions and research carried out on various organic materials as fertilizer, farmers have not adopted the technology; or what can be done to promote further its utilization.