Farms in Davao risking more infestation

DAVAO CITY, Philippines — A Colombian agronomist recently warned of more infestation in farms in the city’s fringes, with the continued expansion of chemical-dependent agricultural plantations. Clara Ines Nicholls, who holds a masters degree in entomology, cited the direct link between the prevalence of pests and the unabated use of synthetic chemicals in banana and pineapple plantations in Davao City. Ms. Nicholls attributed the infestation of scale insects in Davao City to the deaths of lady bugs, its number one predator, which could have been due to aerial and ground spraying of chemicals. "The biodiversity has been disturbed — if not destroyed — by the incessant use of chemicals in these banana and pineapple plantations. When the natural order is affected by human activities, we can expect mess," she said. "And this is exactly what happened here." In previous interviews, regional officials of the Department of Agriculture, specifically those from the Fertilizer and Pesticide Authority, said that use of agro-chemicals in commercial-scale plantations in the region are being monitored. However, it was admitted not enough local research has been done on agrochemicals’ impact on pests’ propagation. "The world of the insects is in total disarray and insects, as they try to survive, will go out and destroy even the usual non-targets, the plants and even each other," Ms. Nichols told a gathering of organic farmers and distributors here. The City Agriculturist Office has reported a drop in the production of lanzones, a major cash crop for local farmers, starting last year. Rocelio T. Tabay, the city agriculturist, said lanzones farms in the outlying districts were devastated by infestation of scale insects, which causes the sap of the leaves to dry up and keeps the plant from producing its own food. Mr. Tabay conceded that the situation has reached "alarming levels," saying that 3,217 farmers from about 1,797.74 hectares have reported such infestation. A separate survey of farmers in two villages by environmental group, Interface Development Interventions, Inc. (IDIS), estimated that damage in Baguio and Calinan districts alone has already reached P6 million. Ms. Nicholls said that with more expansion of banana and pineapple plantations in Davao, farmers can only expect the situation to worsen. "More and more to come and of more destructive magnitude," she said. IDIS Executive Director Lia Jasmin M. Esquillo said in a statement that the government must study the roots of the prevalence of scale insects. "The situation of the farmers is really lamentable. First, coconut trees were devastated by pests. Now it’s lanzones. What’s next? An in-depth study of the root causes of these infestations is important." — Joel B. Escovilla, BusinessWorld