The Bureau of Soils and Water Management sealed the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) for the Integrated Nutrient Management for Soil and Tomato Productivity Project with the Department of Agriculture-Bureau of Agricultural Research (DA-BAR) on 17 December 2021 at the Center in Brgy. Cuyambay, Tanay, Rizal.

In support to the National Soil and Water Resources Research and Development Agenda of the DA-BSWM, the Project on the “Development of Integrated Nutrient Management Strategy for Soil and Tomato Productivity” was proposed and will be implemented by the National Soil and Water Resources Research and Development Center for Hillyland Pedo-Ecological Zone (NSWRRDC HILLPEZ), to be funded by DA-BAR.

The project, in collaboration with the National Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology (BIOTECH) of the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB), aims to develop integrated nutrient management (INM) strategy for improving soil and tomato productivity through combined use of chemical and organic nutrient sources and microbial inoculants including arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and nitrogen-fixing bacteria. Midstream research will be conducted at the NSWRRDC HILLPEZ at Brgy. Cuyambay, Tanay, Rizal, while on-farm trials will be conducted to validate the effect of INM strategies on tomato production area in Brgy. Casile, Cabuyao, Laguna.

DA-BSWM Director Engr. Pablo M. Montalla and NSWRRDC HILLPEZ Chief Joven P. Espineli; and DA-BAR Director Dr. Junel B. Soriano and Assistant Director Joel H. Lales led the MOA signing. Present to witness the momentous event are the key officials and staffs of the two Bureaus.

In his message of support, Director Montalla expressed his gratitude to the DA-BAR for seeing the Project’s significance to the country’s agriculture industry, and deemed it worthy of funding support. He also congratulated the NSWRRDC HILLPEZ for the new opportunity.

The project, which have gone through review and evaluation of BSWM’s RDS Review Committee before being presented to BAR, is the brainchild of Lowell C. Bernados, Science Research Assistant of NSWRRDC HILLPEZ.