Building Local Sources of Quality Planting Materials
BOHOL - The establishment of community Ubi nurseries can help address an important part of agricultural production: having reliable access to quality planting materials. The training covered nursery design, organic seedbed preparation, Ubi microsetts propagation, plant care, maintenance, and cost-and-return analysis. These skills can help participating growers establish nursery systems within their communities and produce young Ubi plants that can later support farm production. Developing local sources of planting materials can also reduce dependence on distant suppliers and make propagation knowledge more accessible to farmers.
Turning Training Into Hands-On Agricultural Skills
The two-day activity combined classroom learning with field demonstrations to give participants a practical understanding of nursery operations. Growers visited the Bohol Island State University-Bilar Campus, the Department of Agriculture-Bohol Experiment Station in Ubay, and the Bohol Organic Agriculture Technology Center, where they observed nursery practices and participated in demonstrations. Particular attention was given to preparing organic soil media for the mass propagation of Ubi microsetts and young plants. This combination of training and hands-on experience can help farmers apply nursery management techniques within their own communities.
Supporting the Future of Bohol’s Ubi Resources
Community nurseries can play a role beyond simply producing planting materials. They can become local knowledge centers where farmers learn propagation techniques, share agricultural practices, and contribute to maintaining a sustainable supply of Ubi planting materials. The initiative also supports broader efforts to conserve, propagate, and sustainably develop Bohol’s Ubi resources within the Bohol Island UNESCO Global Geopark. As more growers gain the skills to manage community nurseries, the program can help strengthen the connection between agricultural production, farmer capacity-building, local livelihoods, and the long-term stewardship of Bohol’s agricultural resources.
