By Celeste Anna Formoso
Palawan, The Philippines (PNA).- The Sangguniang Panlalawigan approved here a resolution urging municipal agriculture officers to promote and encourage the natural farming of seaweeds and avoid the use of fertilizers.
The measure, approved on Tuesday, was authored by Board Member Marivic Roxas, who claimed that a recent Seaweed Industry Summit she attended made it known that organically growing seaweeds is always better than using chemical substances to increase fertility.
“The summit held last March discussed that the use of fertilizers in seaweed farming may result to decreasing demand for export,” she said in an interview.
Roxas added that the practice of natural farming “must be strengthened” for Palawan to continue to produce high-quality seaweeds.
“Seaweeds are natural products, therefore, they should grow naturally without the need for any fertilizer, which may affect their natural components,” she added, claiming not using chemicals will also lessen their costs.
Roxas said municipal agriculture officials are in a better position to encourage seaweed growers to “go natural” since they are familiar with their farming practices.
Editor at the digital magazine AquaHoy. He holds a degree in Aquaculture Biology from the National University of Santa (UNS) and a Master’s degree in Science and Innovation Management from the Polytechnic University of Valencia, with postgraduate diplomas in Business Innovation and Innovation Management. He possesses extensive experience in the aquaculture and fisheries sector, having led the Fisheries Innovation Unit of the National Program for Innovation in Fisheries and Aquaculture (PNIPA). He has served as a senior consultant in technology watch, an innovation project formulator and advisor, and a lecturer at UNS. He is a member of the Peruvian College of Biologists and was recognized by the World Aquaculture Society (WAS) in 2016 for his contribution to aquaculture.
