CITY OF SAN FERNANDO -- Farm waste from the cultivation of corn will soon be the major

ingredient in a feed formulation for farm livestock effectively helping eliminate environmental
problems caused by the burning of corn waste and at the same time provide extra income for
the farmers.

The Department of Agriculture (DA) in Central Luzon is now partnering with corn farmers in the
region, through their cooperatives, to engage in the promising area of corn silage production.

And in a region where corn production is particularly strong and with virtually untapped market
for silage production, the DA is optimistic that farmers could earn more.

Corn waste, like cobs, stalks and stubbles, is usually burned by farmers to make way for new
corps. The burning has serious risks on the environment and the health of farmers. The burning
of farm waste causes severe pollution of land and water as gases like methane, nitrogen oxide
and ammonia are released into the atmosphere.

The DA added that burning of corn waste, along with rice hay and other organic farm wastes,
contribute indirectly to the increased ozone pollution and can cause serious health problems like
asthma, chronic bronchitis and decrease lung function.

According to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, at least 14 percent
of global greenhouse gas emissions come directly from the farm sector.

DA Central Luzon Regional Corn Coordinator Edwin Paningbatan said that it is about time that
farmers learn technologies that reduce carbon footprint and the impact of agricultural practices
on the environment.

He added that looking at how each crop could be used in ways that benefit both farmer and the
environment is the most effective approach. He added that the corn silage production program
will educate farmers on the need to help protect the environment and at the same time help
farmers earn more.

Paningbatan said that the regional office here is in the process of bidding the machine needed
to slice and dice corn waste into silage materials. Initially, the cooperatives that would enter into
the program will be given training courses on silage production, corn waste processing and
marketing.

Why corn silage?

Corn silage is a mixture of fermented high-moisture feed. Corn silage is forage for ruminant
animals because it is high in energy and digestibility and the corn silage from the Philippines
was particularly noted for its quality.
Corn silage is usually fermented in containers mixed with essential microorganisms and
molasses. The fermentation renders the material suitable to be fed to cattle, sheep and other
such ruminants (cud-chewing animals), and it has been proven to be a good source of energy
and protein for carabaos.

Paningbatan said that Region 3 can jump start a commercial production of corn silage due to
the strong production of Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) corn in the region. Bt corn accounts for so
much of the industry production since 65 percent of all yellow corn produced in the country is in
fact Bt corn.

In 2015 alone, some 1.04 million hectares was devoted to Bt corn production. In recent years,
there has been a tremendous shift to Bt corn production.

Bt corn is a perfect source of corn silage material, according to Paningbatan. A mature corn
stalk usually produces 1 kilogram of corn waste.

“Currently, corn waste is being bought by a handful of corn silage producers. But the strong
demand for silage could barely be satisfied,” Paningbatan said, adding that local corn silage
producers usually produce the corn feed only for their in-house livestock.

“There are people, those who raise cows, sheep and carabaos, who would like to buy corn
silage but there is no supply available,” Paningbatan.

Corn waste fetches some P1 to P1.40 per kilo. This means that a farmer could earn as much as
P7, 000 from a hectare of corn waste. But this could triple, if the farmers would process and
produce the corn silage themselves.

The DA said that corn silage is preferred specifically when fresh grass is unavailable and hard
to come by. The summer and the rainy months in the country are a particular challenge for
livestock raisers of cow and sheep.

“There is a very big demand for beef and sheep meat. But local supply could not actually meet
local demands for silage,” Paningbatan said, adding that corn silage could in fact boost local
livestock production.

Corn silage production as an enterprise

Corn silage from the Philippines has already been exported to South Korea since 2013. Taiwan,
for one, uses corn primarily as component for poultry and livestock feeds while Malaysia needs
2.5 million metric tons of corn annually to sustain its local market needs.

Factoring that fact that there are 2.88 million heads of carabao as of July 2017, according to the
data from thePhilippine Statistics Authority, corn silage production can in fact rake in serious
revenues for farmers.
The Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic, and Natural Resources Research and
Development of the Department of Science and Technology said that a farmer engaged in dairy
carabao production needs about 25 to 30 kilograms of feeds in 24 hours for a carabao weighing
from 400 to 500 kilogram.

Paningbatan also said that farmers can also venture into small scale livestock production. Each
farm could be self-sufficient in a way that farm waste would no longer be discarded but used as
feed material for farm livestock.

Paningbatan said that turning farm waste from corn into an enterprise is the best approach to
help farmers and at the same time contribute in reducing harmful farming practices.

“The incentive is that farmers can earn more and at the same time they help protect the
environment,” Paningbatan said.