DEVELOPING SUSTAINABLE AGRO-ECOSYSTEMS

Development of sustainable agro-ecosystems is a sustained process of conversion both in the lowland and upland ecosystems - from conventional (chemical-based) to organic, from monocropping to diversified and integrated farming system, and from individual farm ecosystem to community or agro-ecosystems wide conversion.

It is an attempt to:

1. intensify organic diversify organic diversiftion of livestock, poultry and aqua-culture production with crop.
2. Intensify soil fertility management practices
3. Enhance recovery, utilization, conservation and improvement of endemic and adapted plant and animal species
4. Develop alternative and appropriate farm tools and equipment to support organic diversification of farmer-adaptors.

This component program entails the following activities:

1. Biofertilizer Development and Usage (BDU). As an integral part of the sustainable agriculture framework, BDU brings back vitality to soil lost due to indiscriminate use of chemical fertilizers or high external input farming. It also promotes the field tests in the limited manufacture of organic fertilizers and soil conditioners as a viable alternative to chemical fertilizers.
2. Alternative Pest Management (APM). Essentially this means managing the pests and other harmful insects without disturbing the natural balance in the farm biosystems. APM refrains from use of chemical pesticides and instead promotes the use of ecologically-sound pest control/management system.
3. Diversified Integrated Farming System (DIFS). This is the practice of complementing and integrating crop and livestock production systems, both to restore on-farm biodiversity and as a strategy to achieve maximum benefits from the farm as well as control over agricultural production.
4. Upland Development Program. This supports the geographic (regional) clusters in the areas of field research, training, technical back-up and access to seeds/seedlings, in assistance to those partners in upland communities.