SoCot eyes hydroponics farming as alternative livelihood

GENERAL SANTOS CITY--The local environment office of South Cotabato is pushing for the adoption of hydroponics farming as alternative livelihood for local fisherfolk.

Mary Jane Manlisis, forest and inland water management division head of the Provincial Environment Management Office (PEMO), said Wednesday studies are underway for the rollout of the innovative farming method in inland fishing communities in the province.

Manlisis said their office has recently launched research trials in Lake Sebu town to determine its viability and suitability in the area.

Hydroponics is the method of growing plants without using soil, specifically in a “soil-less” medium or aquatic based environment. It utilizes mineral nutrient solutions from various sources, among them fish wastes and fowl manure, to feed the plants.

Manlisis said they are currently conducting the research trials at a portion of Lake Sebu in partnership with the RD Foundation, the corporate social arm of the hotel’s mother firm RD Group.

The foundation contributed some PHP50,000 for the conduct of the research while the provincial government released a counterpart of PHP20,000, she said.

For the trial, Manlisis said they deployed nine floating planting beds measuring 1x5 meters in front of the resort hotel.

“These were planted with three varieties each of lettuce, strawberry and raspberry,” Manlisis said in a statement.

She said the plants were grown in coco coir mixed with coco peat mounted in the planting beds. (PNA)