Everyone has to do their part to make sure that it is not contaminated with chemicals or other elements that can harm the environment as well as cause health concerns.
“From now on we need to deal with those issues. Even us here on the tiny pacific island, we still need to contribute since it’s a global concern everybody should take part because we are affected. We need to work together to solve or reduce the environmental concerns,” said Isidoro T. Cabrera former agricultural consultant at NMC-Cooperative Research, Extension & Education Service.
Cabrera is a member of the soil and water conservation service for over 10 years. “We do have some program that we provide our farmers and ranchers techniques that would save our soil,” he said.
No-till farming, Cabrera said, is encouraged. It is a way of growing crops from year to year without disturbing the soil through tillage. It increases the amount of water in the soil and decrease erosion.
He said they are also promoting the vetiver grass, which is “an excellent erosion control plant in warmer climates.”
“It is recommended here in the tropics because it has been proven in other countries that planting vetiver grass prevents erosion during heavy downpour,” Cabrera said.
Mounting or using dead leaves or wood chips to cover up the soil to protect it from heavy rain downpour is a good practice. In artificial mounting black plastic bags or cardboards are used.
“One of the means that is highly recommended is to use compost. It is like an organic fertilizer that you can easily make on your backyard. And that improves the soil quality texture and structure,” Cabrera said.
Compost adds nutrient to the soil, nutrients for the plants to grow. “Leftover food can be added in composting to help it decompose,” he added.
Artificial fertilizers are composed of different elements like nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, and sodium. These kinds of fertilizers cause harmful effects on ground water.
Pesticides are also carried by rain to the streams and ocean and kills corals and fish as well as other marine life.
Cabrera emphasized the importance of reading labels when using chemical materials in the soil such as pesticide and herbicide. “Sometimes people don’t read the label and they are just applying whatever they think is best. But it’s a law that you have to read the label, how to properly apply it and dispose it,” he said. “That is why NMC CREES provides training to farmers and ranchers,” he added.
