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By Leilanie G. Adriano
Staff reporter
Piddig, Ilocos Norte—Before farmers could take that match to light up scattered rice straw in the farm lands, the local government unit of Piddig is offering cash to them should they convert it into organic fertilizer.
Pegged at Php5,000 per farmer, the Piddig LGU announced that they are buying rice straw locally known as “garami” from farmers.
Former Piddig mayor, now consultant to the Office of the Mayor, Engr. Eduardo Guillen, said this is one way of encouraging them not to burn their farm wastes but instead, convert them into cash.
Town mayor Georgina Guillen said the municipal agriculture office has been collecting dry rice straw from farmers for a fee.
Vermicomposting technology converts rice straws into organic fertilizer, and then the LGU will give the produce back to farmers’ cooperatives for free.
Despite the presence of a provincial ordinance prohibiting the burning of rice straw in the entire province, the open-burning of rice straw is still evident in Ilocos farmlands.
The burning of rice straw residues pollutes the air and contributes to global warming through emissions of greenhouse gases (GHGs), according to environment experts.
“The project aims not just to help the farmers meet their daily needs but Mr. most importantly to encourage them to protect the environment,” said Mr. Guillen.