Meanwhile, interview with onion farmers to estimate the cost of onion production using traditional method was set. January 12, 2021, 2:40 pm. The vertical hydroponic grower is a 9-m, diamond-shaped structure consisting of 30 tiers of troughs made up of 7.6-cm-diameter, 2.5-m-long PVC pipes. The data show that there will only be a measly 2 percent increase in agricultural land by the year 2040 [4] . Statistical Analysis of Bulb Growth Using VHF Technology. On the average, the onion bulb development in the second experiment yielded an average growth of 3 cm in a 30-day period. It is an attached unit of the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO). 1.2. The declining production of the industry demands that new model and a new system of farming needs to be reconsidered. There are three reasons cited for the decrease in onion production in Nueva Ecija: 1) The prolonged rainy season; 2) Farmers losing their market share because of the coming in of imported onion; 3) Emergence of insects causing the drop in harvest. The remaining loan balance is $48,000 which could be paid in full. Leyte Governor Leopoldo Dominico Petilla checks a lettuce plant in a local government-assisted farm in San Isidro, Leyte in this August 19, 2020 photo. These two laws aim to ensure food security and rejuvenate the ecosystem functions. After all, plants rely on specific nutrients to grow, and these nutrients don’t change, no matter which system one is using. In VHF method, manageability of the farm is quite obvious; the area requires no caretakers considering the number of square meters and the absence of other farming management phases in the traditional method. Systems research will also be essential for making more rapid progress in diversifying small-scale farms. Each trough will contain 25 onion bulbs spaced at 10cm apart. The frame has a foot area of 2.5 m × 2 m (5 m2). Los Banos, College, Laguna (Philippines)); Pansit-pansitan, scientifically known as Pepromia pellucida, is a medicinal plant valued for its anti-gout properties which helps lower uric acid in the blood. The vertical grower design employing hydroponics may be utilized in onion farming in Nueva Ecija for the following reasons: 1) Increased productivity of onions, 2) Year-round crop production, 3) Possibility that can be put up or built anywhere, 4) No weather related crop failures, 5) Onions being free from pesticides and herbicides, 6) Lessening excessive use of fertilizers thus no threat to human and animal health, 7) Requiring less space, so the spare land can be used for fruit bearing trees, which gives additional income to the farmers and helps restore the ecosystem. The use of farmlands for food production and industrial purposes goes beyond the carrying capacity of the environment. The cost analysis of using the hydroponic grower as compared to traditional farming is shown in Table 1. A spray of pesticides is no longer needed since the greenhouse prevent foreign pests to enter and attack the VFH. Table 1. FLEXIBILITY. This article deals with the pH of hydroponic gardening and the availability of nutrients at different pH levels in a soilless growing medium. By combining the brains in this world, solutions to its minor imperfections can be found. We operate on loan proceed only while the capitalists dictate the price of onions in the market and not the growers. The Proposed Design of a Hydroponic Vertical Grower is shown in Figure 1. “young harabas and pinakamatindi, walang itinera sa amin, napakadami nila, di ko alam kung saann nanggaling, malaki ang nawala sa amin” (translation) “among onion pests it is harabas that is very difficult to contain they are too many, and we do not know where they come from, it really caused the decline of our income during the last planting season)” (interviewee 3, male). Ideas, experience and information sharing group. Leyte Governor Leopoldo Dominico Petilla said on Tuesday compared with traditional gardening, hydroponics is a concept that uses less soil, less space, less water, with a growth rate of 30-50 percent faster. Whether it is in water or on land, the same nutrients for plant growth are essential. (Philippines Univ. The experiment was. The study determined the applicability of Vertical Farming using Hydroponic Technology to onion production in Nueva Ecija, Philippines. The development of new technology for food production is essential to sustain man’s needs for survival. Of the total area used for food crops, Two Hundred Seventy Thousand hectares are used to grow vegetables and root crops. In the Philippines, it may seem extra ordinary to consider the idea of urban-based agriculture when viable and productive land is available. These situations affect the capacity of the earth to supply the demand for food. Technology and Livelihood Education (TLE) is one of the learning areas of the Secondary Education Curriculum used in Philippine secondary schools. The province of Nueva Ecija is the leading producer of onion accounting for 99 percent of the region’s onion production. Moreover, the remaining area of land (7500 m2) could be utilized for planting other crops. And the remaining balance will be $11954.94 less the total operational expenditure of $8010.47. There was a 0.02 cm increased in the development of bulb diameter compared to Table 3 Phase 2 experiment yielding only a 4.1 cm growth of onion bulb smaller than the result of July 2017 3rd and last phase of the experiment. The principle behind its operation is that, the land is a mere storage of nutrients needed by plants to grow. There are 15 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. 9.2 m high and circulated through each pipe and then drains at the lower-middle channel. The Philippines is an agricultural country with a land area of 30 million hectares. Many vegetables are grown using hydroponics. could be used for other agricultural and live stocks production. At present, onion production in Nueva Ecija is threatened by importation, smuggling, and the emergence of pests bringing havoc to potential earnings of onion farmers. It is an agricultural province where the livelihood of the people is dependent on farm produce. The system can also serve as an alternative to land-based farming in areas where the land soil is poor in quality. Manageability of the VFH Compared to Traditional Method. Parry Mary has uploaded 77 photos to Flickr. It is best for home-based vegetable production and ideal for small spaces typical in urban area. By using experimental method, interview, and Focused Group Discussions (FGD), the study established its viability. Learn about the state-of-the-art techniques for producing food in a controlled, soilless setting. The governor said that they are eyeing to launch the project before the end of 2020 once the construction of the hydroponic systems inside the container vans is completed. They can plant their crops whole year-round," he said. Vertical Farming Using Hydroponic System. The results showed that there is significant difference in the growth of onion bulb per week and the suitability and comparability of the technology to conventional farming. Open Journal of Ecology Vol.8 No.1，January 11, 2018 DOI: 10.4236/oje.2018.81003 4,263 Downloads 10,783 Views Citations In view of the above discussion, the study posed the following statements of the problem: 1) How may the need for a sustainable system of production of onion be described in terms of viability; 2) What is vertical farming using hydroponics; 3) How may vertical farming using hydroponic system be described in terms of, production cost; usability for onion production; manageability of farm activities and acceptability to farmers and onion growers? However, critics of the method in developing countries considered the significant amount needed to implement the technology. Globe: 09771376905 Smart: 09474235228 Landline: 026640600. support@crshydroponics.com Notwithstanding the higher cost of initial. The Figure 5 showed the hydroponic technology as applied by the scientists having the vision to bring the technology in outer space where there is no land or soil where plant or vegetables could be transplanted to sustain their food. 216 San Jose St. Brgy. The study employed the experimental method of research. According to one expert, “If the time comes when there’s severe water shortage, at least we have a system where we can plant and grow crops with little water,” [18] . As a subject in high school, its component areas are: Home Economics, Agri-Fishery Arts, Industrial Arts, and Information and Communication Technology. It eliminates the need for fossil fuels to run machinery during the different stages of farming (i.e., plowing, applying fertilizer, seeding, weeding, harvesting) [15] . To meet the demands, modern agriculture employs a variety of chemical products and exposure to toxic levels of some classes of agrochemicals. For instance, agricultural land covers only 38 percent while arable land covers 11 percent of the total land area. The initial capital required, is seen as a factor that will slow the adoption of the technology [20] . "The good thing about this project is we are using container vans. Some did not cooperate because they are already satisfied with the yield produced by using traditional method or land- based onion production. 47 per cent of which is agricultural land. As presented in Table 1, on the second year, the total remaining balance in Vertical Hydroponic Farming (VHF) method will be $59954.94. During the interview, the following statements, comments, and opinions of farmers and farmers’ cooperative members were taken: VFH is acceptable because it is resilient to the effects of climate change. The demand for food production in the Philippines puts stress on land use and natural resources. 4.2. The presence of more than 3 billion people around the globe triggers high demand not only for food but also the land on which crops should grow. The researchers went to the farm and interviewed onion planters /farmers. The weather condition in the province experiences two seasons a year. It is manageable at its state. 3) The technology can be put up anywhere; 4) it minimizes weather and crop failures as it is under a controlled environment the farmer himself sets; 5) it helps in restoring the farmland to the ecosystem. The use of interview was devoted to determining the acceptability of vertical farming to Onion farmers and growers. The vertical hydroponic grower can grow 750 bulbs of the onion of onion per rack (the A-shaped structure). The acceptability is backed by the belief that 1) change in weather condition or climate change, 2) traditional farming is prone to pest attacks, 3) high cost of farm labor, 4) pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizers. More so, using the traditional method, the entire 10,000 m2 farmland area was used while in VHF system, the remaining lot space. For instance, pesticides high in chemical contents are developed to combat insects that are continuously getting immune to low synthetic pesticides contents. The VHF is acceptable as to decrease in farm labor requirements. and Gabriel, A.G. (2018) Vertical Farming Using Hydroponic System: Toward a Sustainable Onion Production in Nueva Ecija, Philippines. Marilou P. Pascual, Gina A. Lorenzo, Arneil G. Gabriel. Weather temperatures in August 2016 Source: http://www.accuweather.com/en/ph/philippines-weather. The phytoremediation potential of three bamboo species, i.e. When the technology is applied correctly, the growth of the plants is observable hence could provide earlier harvest resulting in three cropping seasons per year. Vol.08 No.01(2018), Article ID:81678,17 pages Weather temperatures in July 2017 Source: http://www.accuweather.com/en/ph/philippines-weather. A necessary means to maintain its mark as the onion capital of Southeast Asia. The respondents were identified on actual farm environment. To make vertical farming a reality, whether small-scale hydroponic farms or flourishing skyscrapers, there is a need for the support of the governments and pioneering organizations’ willing to support the farmers and provide them training for technology adoption and financial assistance for the construction of the vertical farms. Vertical Farming. Leyte Governor Leopoldo Dominico Petilla said on Tuesday compared with traditional gardening, hydroponics is a concept that uses less soil, less space, less water, with a growth rate of 30-50 percent faster. Figure 2. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/, Received: December 2, 2017; Accepted: January 8, 2018; Published: January 11, 2018. Hydroponics for beginners in the tropical areas of the Philippines. The development of new technology for food production is essential to sustain man’s needs for survival. 10.4236/oje.2018.81003, Vertical Farming Using Hydroponic System: Toward a Sustainable Onion Production in Nueva Ecija, Philippines, Marilou P. Pascual1, Gina A. Lorenzo2, Arneil G. Gabriel3, 1College of Management and Business Technology, Nueva Ecija University of Science and Technology, Cabanatuan, Philippines, 2College of Engineering, Nueva Ecija University of Science and Technology, Cabanatuan, Philippines, 3Department of Public Administration, Nueva Ecija University of Science and Technology, Cabanatuan, Philippines. Hydroponics technology provides the nutrients that land-based farming does. It is observed that there is a 2.5 cm average bulb diameter yielded within a 30 day period. Privacy Policy | Terms of Use, Southern Leyte sites featured in dive expo, Biliran town allots PHP20-M for Covid-19 jabs, Region 8 health exec renews call for vigilance vs. Covid-19, Leyte mining firm to donate coronavirus vaccines, E. Visayas records 105 new Covid-19 cases, 41 recoveries, Floods displace thousands in 3 Samar provinces, Region 8 LGUs suspend work due to continuous rains, Fines await health protocol violators in S. Leyte town, 4 roads, bridges in E. Visayas closed due to heavy rains, Presidential Communications Operations Office. Drain water will be recalculated again by a pump. Its manageability could be deduced from the shortened preparation, operation and harvesting phases compared to traditional method. If the result of the pilot testing is successful and viable, then this can be replicated by other farmers in Leyte especially the organizations who are beneficiaries of the More Income in the Countryside Project of the provincial government, according to Petilla. The latest record from government agency shows that there is an estimate of 6.8 hectares of forestlands with a net loss of 400,000 hectares every year. “Yung gastos sa hydroponic farming umaabot ng million in one hectare, about 5 to 10 times ng traditional farming, depende sa kung gaano ka-high tech ang gusto mo, pero mataas and yield, almost 10 times din, kasi year-round yung production, kaya in two to three years lang yung payback period, then after that sarili mo na yung kita mo” (translation) the cost of HFV reaches a million pesos- $2000.00, it is about 5 to 10 times the expense of traditional farming but the yield also is 5 - 10 times that of traditional farming. Table of comparative cost analysis per hectare of onion using hydroponic method and traditional method. Hydroponics is the growing of plants without soil. The result is attributed to extraneous variables which the researchers were not able to control in the first phase of the experiment. The VHF simplifies farm management and ensures environment-friendly farm operation. This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution International License (CC BY 4.0). Table 2 shows the data yielded by the experiments. Hydroponics is one of the many methods of soilless agriculture through which plants are grown in mineral nutrient water [17] . Using the single factor ANOVA, the results show that there is enough evidence to prove that there is significant difference in the growth of onion bulb, Figure 5. Farmers consider VHF as safe from flooding. “nung bumaha, wala kami talaga inani, ngayong 2016 ok naman, walang kalamidad na dumating, yun nga lang mahirap mabenta ng magandang presyo kasi madaming imported na dumadating” “inuutang lang naming yung puhunan namin, tapos yung mga kapitalista sila na ang nagdidikta ng presyo ng sibuyas, napipilitan na kami ibenta ng mababa kasi kailangan naming magbayad ng utang” (translation) In 2015, when there was massive flooding, we really did not profit from planting onion, in 2016, we were not affected by calamity but it was very difficult to sell our produce at a good price simply because imported onions flooded the market. Vertical Farming Using Hydroponics System. On the third year, the initial investment will be $3944.47. With hydroponics, the farmer will have full control over the farm together with more optimal results. Even a strong typhoon hits our province, our farmers will immediately resume farming because their crops are protected. A 1500 m2 lot area could contain 200 racks and would produce 15,000 kg of onion almost equivalent to 1 hectare of traditional farming unaffected by any adverse weather and growing conditions. Other plants that can be grown using hydroponics include butter crunch, spinach, basil, mint, strawberries, cucumber, and marigold flowers. At this juncture, the literature shows that development of the onion industry in the Philippines is facing a challenge. Using the system will provide the farmer control of the farm allowing more significant results. Table 7. As it is depicted in the table. Table 6. Correct maintenance of the hydroponic unit is vital to ensure optimal conditions for germination—usually 20/24 h … The startup costs to implement a hydroponic farm can vary widely but, they are usually much more significant than soil-based farming [19] . These may be a disadvantage; however, the literature shows that the larger-scale hydroponic systems tend to be more cost-effective than small-scale land-based farms. The Philippine Information Agency is the official public information arm of the Government of the Republic of the Philippines. "Our main goal here is to have agricultural resiliency for our farmers’ livelihood. Vertical hydroponic farm facilities require more capital than traditional farming. Hydroponic technology. The Philippine Information Agency is the official public information arm of the Government of the Republic of the Philippines. Bookmark this article By Chris Baraniuk 6th April 2017 Instead of growing crops in sunny fields or greenhouses, some companies stack them and … performed mainly under the shed where it may be exposed to indirect sunlight in the morning. Vertical Farming promises to eliminate external natural processes since crops will be grown under carefully selected and well-monitored conditions, ensuring an optimal growth rate for each species of plant and animal year-round [14] .