LEGAZPI CITY (PIA) -- At least 14 farmer organizations with about 2,500 members in this city received organic fertilizer produced from the first composting facility in the country that adopted Japan’s Okada technology.

“The compost fertilizer was the first product of the sustainable composting facility introduced by the Japanese government to reduce the farming expenses of the farmers, increase their agricultural productivity, and improve their livelihood status, “Legazpi City Mayor Noel Rosal said.

In a press statement, JICA Philippines said that the composting facility in Legazpi City is part of their partnership with private sector called SDGs Business Supporting Survey that promotes technology and innovation from Japanese enterprises to help solve some of society’s problems

JICA cited an earlier study that only 3% of waste materials are composted in Bicol, and they need not be thrown away with help from this innovation to process raw wastes into organic fertilizers.

Rosal said the distribution of fertilizers to the farmers is part of the program to push for agricultural development that will provide sufficient harvest of agricultural products and healthy foods for the consuming public.

City Environment and Natural Resources (CENRO) Officer Ceciro Cano said the compost fertilizer was part of the first batch distributed to the farmers for free.

Cano said the compost fertilizer was the result of the 14 days fermentation process using biodegradable waste materials including chicken manures, coco peat and other waste materials from the market.

“We will just wait for the result of the evaluation of the Department of Agriculture (DA) before it could be declared as organic fertilizer,” Cano added.

City Agriculturist Shiela Nas on the other hand said the compost fertilizer could be used by the farmers in planting palay, vegetables, root crops and other plants to lessen their agricultural expenses and improve their harvest every cropping cycle.

Nas said that the compost fertilizer would remove the acidity of the soil and bring back the lost soil nutrients.

The organic waste composting system is the first in the Philippines with Legazpi as the only city in the country that adopted the technology and innovative ideas of the OKADA Manufacturing in processing organic fertilizers.

The OKADA Manufacturing Company is the oldest company in Japan operating business in processing organic fertilizers and exporting it to different countries for almost 60 years. (SAA/PIA5/Albay/EAS)