Rep. Plaza urges House colleagues to support soil health improvement efforts

Rep. Adolph Edward Plaza during his privilege speech on Wednesday (13 August 2025).

SAN FRANCISCO, Agusan del Sur (MindaNews / 15 August) – Rep. Adolph Edward Plaza of the 2nd District of Agusan del Sur urged fellow lawmakers to support efforts to improve soil health to help farmers increase their yield amid the impacts of climate change.

Plaza made this appeal during his privilege speech on Wednesday at the House of Representatives, citing such a program in his province that aims to secure the farmers’ future.

“A comprehensive, science-based, and collaborative national soil health strategy can rehabilitate our soils, reverse degradation, and improve the productivity of our farmers,” he stated in his speech.

Plaza presented data from five model rice farms in the province, which showed a 263% increase in net income, producing at least 6.6 tons per hectare, up from an average of 3.6 tons per hectare. Additionally, fertilization costs were reduced by as much as 45%.

The 6.6-ton yield even surpassed the average national production of four tons per hectare.

Plaza said there is a need to mitigate the inevitable impact of climate change on agriculture by ensuring a healthy ecosystem, pointing out that 70% of the country’s farmlands are now affected by acidity.

“To mitigate climate change, we need to safeguard a healthy ecosystem. Soils rich in organic matter support plant growth, filter water, and sequester carbon. As our soils are increasingly threatened, we must act swiftly to protect them,” he said, adding time is running out.

The lawmaker said the provincial government of Agusan del Sur has honored its commitment to advancing soil health development by establishing a P400-million, state-of-the-art soils research laboratory, staffed by experts from the Provincial Research Development and Innovation Office.

The soils lab is the latest initiative under the provincial government’s flagship program, the Upland Sustainable Agriforestry Development.

The speech garnered support from two colleagues during the interpellation.

Rep. Jane Castro of the 2nd District of Capiz emphasized that soil health development should now be incorporated into the national government’s priorities, in partnership with the Department of Agriculture (DA). She also raised concerns about the DA’s soil testing program under the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund.

In response, Plaza pointed out that the Rapid Soil Test Kit used by the DA’s Bureau of Soil and Water Management only tests for three elements, which does not provide a comprehensive analysis of soils lacking essential nutrients. In contrast, the soils lab offers testing for at least 16 chemical elements.

Plaza also criticized the “shotgun approach” employed by the DA and some multinational fertilizer companies, which he said provide inputs to farmers without following a scientific process.

In response to a query from Rep. Roger Mercado, 1st District of Southern Leyte, Plaza likened soil to the human body, saying both need to be tested in a laboratory to assess nutrient levels before experts can offer tailored solutions. “Soil is life, just like humans are life. What’s happening now is a shotgun approach.” (Chris V. Panganiban/MindaNews)