The Benefits of Farm Mechanization

At the FutureRice farm, we tried to mechanize most aspect of rice production in order to demonstrate to farmers the benefits of modern technology– in terms of savings in time, labor, and costs.

We made a simple comparison of a mechanized rice farm and farmers’ current practice. While both systems already use small hand tractors for land preparation, the addition of mechanical rice transplanter and rice combine harvester provided greater savings and efficiency.

FutureRice	# of days	# of persons	Costs (PhP)	Farmer’s Practice	# of days	# of persons	Costs (PhP)
Seedling preparation	2 days seed soaking; 1 day for seed tray;	6-7 to prepare seed trays		Seedbed prep; Seed sowing Pulling and Transport	1 day 1 day 1 day	1 1 2-3
Seedling age	14 days				21-25 days
Transplanting	1 day Mechanical transplanter	2 persons per ha in 2 hrs	6,000	Manual transplanting	1 day Manual labor	30 persons per ha in 4 hours	4,500
Harvesting	1 day Combine harvester	1 operator 2 assistants	12,365	Manual harvesting, Hauling, transport	1 day/ha	15 per ha	16,167
				Manual Threshing	1 day/ha	4 per ha
Total			18,365				21,167

Comparison of mechanized rice farming and farmers’ practice with the addition of rice transplanter and combine harvester in rice production, DS 2014 at the FutureRice farm in Munoz, Nueva Ecija.

FutureRice farm is using the mechanical rice transplater to cut labor cost, save time and create uniform rows of transplanted rice seedlings

With full mechanization (handtractors, mechanical transplanter, combine harvester), farmers can save more than P3,000 per hectare. There is also considerable savings on time, with the use of 14 day old seedlings.  Transplanting can be done in just 2 hours per hectare; while the rice combine harvester can harvest, thresh and bag semi-dry palay in just one sweep, taking just 2 hours per hectare.

During harvest time at FutureRice farm, combine harvester is used for efficient harvesting, with a significant decrease in harvest losses

On the other hand, a farmer that is not fully mechanized can also finish the major operations in one day, however, he will need more people to complete the job. For instance, he will need 30 persons per hectare to finish the job in 4 hours. In harvesting, he will need from 4 to 15 people to complete the cutting, hauling, transport and threshing of his harvest.  In times of limited manpower, these operations can be significantly delayed.

Hence, aside from the actual savings in direct costs, mechanization provides important labor and time savings to the farmer.   

Writers: Roger F. Barroga and Marian Anora

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Biodynamic Rice Nurtured with Milk and Honey

Milk and honey as organic fertilizers for rice! According to Don Bosco Multi-Purpose Cooperative, this is their way of ensuring abundant rice harvest.

When asked about what organic fertilizer they use, organic farmers said, milk and honey. They are investing on these organic fertilizers just to produce biodynamic rice, giving consumers more value for their money.  

Bios Dynamis organic black rice production

 in Mlang, Cotabato

FutureRice team visited the Don Bosco Multipurpose Cooperative carrying the Bios Dynamis brand to learn the interesting organic rice production that is now being exported abroad. Don Bosco is now supplying their organic rice in Europe and Hongkong which only proves that there is an international market for our local rice produce. They have gained an international organic certification, Certification of Environmental Standards (Ceres) of Germany.

Milk and honey mix is highly recommended as organic spray during the milking stage of rice. They have their own back sprayer for organic use only. In biodynamics, honey that is produced by bees has high life force. Natural honey despite its sweetness is not attacked by ants and not easily spoiled. The same thing with milk, it has high life force as it nourishes the body with the vitamins and minerals it contains. “The combination of honey and milk makes the rice becomes delicious”, according to Bios Dynamis farm supervisor, Mario Alolosan. 

The Latin word “Bios” means life and “Dynamic” means force. The said cooperative is working in harmony with nature with respect to the so called life force. Biodynamic farming is said to be higher than organic farming. It is more of the inner force. Farmers are disciplined when they do farming, even cigarette smoking is prohibited. When the farmer is angry and he will go to the rice field, the negative energy can be absorbed by the plant. 

Thus, in bios dynamis, they are orienting the farmers to work happily in their rice fields.

One organic rice farmer, Cristina Minguez, said that she is singing when she’s working in the rice field and some of her neighbors said that she’s going crazy. She’s growing black rice just right beside her backyard. 

FutureRice communication specialist-Wendy Hernandez, Organic rice farmer-Cristina Minguez, 

Mlang CeC manager-Dr. Ann Cortado, FutureRice agribusiness specialist-Marian Añora (fr left to right)

Organic rice comes in various colors, there’s white, brown, red and black which is now becoming popular even for average people in Mindanao. They are recognizing the benefits of eating organic products. In the supermarkets, more people are buying organic rice for health reasons. 

Another farmer, Rosauro Sungcog is using organic smoke juice as foliar fertilizer in rice. The smoke from the burning of rice hull is captured in the bamboo and its juice is collected in a covered basin. This black organic smoke juice is now used as fertilizer in the field to prevent pests in the rice field.  This is just an example of a farmer’s innovative way of making use of the things in his surrounding. Instead of throwing farm waste materials, he returns it in the rice field by using it as organic fertilizer.

An organic rice farmer, Rosauro Sungcog is experimenting 

the use of organic smoke juice as foliar fertilizer

The smoke from the burning of rice hull (right) produces organic juice (left) that can be used as fertilizer in the rice field

The smoke juice was tested for its chemical properties and found to have traces of significant elements needed by plants. 

A chemical test of the trace elements found

 in the organic smoke juice 

Writer: Wendy Hernandez 

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FutureRice are encouraged by Bios Dynamis to practice organic rice farming at least in one portion of the farm for a start. The cooperative is offering training services for those who are interested to pursue organic and biodynamic farming.