Organic farming backers urge use of microorganisms vs banana pest

MANILA, Philippines - Leading advocates of organic farming have urged government to look into the possibility of using effective microorganisms (EM) technology to battle the deadly black sigatoka pest that have affected banana plantations in Mindanao. These advocates stressed EM technology is organic and does not pose threats to those engaged in aerial spraying in the Davao Region, along with plantation workers and residents of communities abutting vast tracts of land planted to the exported fruit. Go Organic! Philippines spokesman lawyer Antonio Moncupa and La Liga Policy Institute (LLPI) executive director Roland Cabigas said EM has proven to be a boon to farmers cultivating organic crops, particularly “bokashi," which is now used largely in integrated farms in Davao and other areas of Luzon. Moncupa and Cabigas said the experience of Costa Rica in battling sigatoka using EM bokashi should be tested and applied in the country in order to reduce anxiety about the use of diluted fungicides sprayed by large banana plantation through airplanes. Banana growers have denied responsibility for the increase of certain diseases in areas abutting the plantations, saying their planes use global positioning system (GPS) equipment to avoid spraying nearby communities. They have won their bid to declare a Davao City ordinance banning aerial spraying as unconstitutional, paving the way for the resumption of the activity, which some groups in the region have attacked as dangerous to humans and the environment. With the efficacy of EM technology in battling the banana pest, Moncupa and Cabigas believe that a solution to the problem in banana plantations may be resolved soon. EM technology was developed by Dr. Teruo Higa of Okinawa more than 20 years ago and has been used extensively in Japan. Leandro Aure, an EM researcher, said the technology is appropriate for banana plantations since it can use enormous waste materials accumulated during harvest and post-harvest operations in banana plantations. Aure said the use of EM technology would be a boost to organic banana growers who need not resort to aerial spraying using chemical-based fungicides to control sigatoka. Moreover, the organic food market, which is worth $90 billion annually and grows at around 30 percent annually, has good use for the waste. Aure added banana growers might cash in on this growing market by raising output through the exclusive use of EM technology that also combats black sigatoka. “As a net exporter of bananas, the country must continue to improve the quality of bananas and raise productivity. Latest developments in banana export industry also require adjustments in production technology. In particular, organic culture is necessary to further boost exports to traditional markets now hankering for organic bananas," he stressed. “With increased awareness on the hazards of using chemicals in crop production, the clamor for organically produced foods is on the rise. As a major banana producer, the key players of the industry need to make full use of available technology on organic banana production," Aure suggested. He said ingredients for the production of EM compost and EM Bokashi like sawdust, charcoal and others are endemic in the country. For the production of organic bananas, four EM formulations can be used. The liquid form, EM-1 is used as microbial inoculant for the production of EM Bokashi and EM compost and as foliar spray to control Black Sigatoka. EM-FPE, or EM-Fermented plant extract, is also used to control insects, pests and diseases.- GMANews.TV