Check out these high-tech, Php 100M Korean greenhouses in Bukidnon
South Korea’s Ministry of Agriculture, Food, and Rural Affairs (MAFRA) donated Php 100 Million greenhouses to the Department of Agriculture in Region 10 (DA-10) to demonstrate effective methods for growing strawberries, cherry tomatoes, potatoes, leafy vegetables, and high-priced crops in Philippine soil.
Considered a breakthrough in agriculture, the Korean government greenhouse technology aims to spark a bountiful harvest as well as improve farming techniques especially among high-value crop farmers.
During a strawberry farm tour at Northern Mindanao Agricultural Crops and Livestock Research Complex in Dalwangan, Malaybalay City last December, An Jae-rok, executive director of the Korean Agency of Education, Promotion, and Information Service in Food, Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries presented how MAFRA’s Smart farm system gives farmers remote control over their greenhouses.
“In Smart Greenhouse, data is collected daily inside and outside the facility. There are sensors inside to check the amount of carbon dioxide, temperature, and air humidity. There are also sensors outside the greenhouse to check the rainfall, temperature, wind direction, and velocity,” he said.
Jae-rok said farmers need not worry anymore about the unpredictable weather and the backbreaking labor because farmers can easily monitor and adjust greenhouse conditions manually or remotely using the Smart Farm Mobile App with internet connectivity.
“This is unique. It gives us a chance to dream bigger, heaps of perfectly ripened strawberries at a time,” said Joel Rivera, a greenhouse farm adopter and red bell pepper farmer from Bukidnon, as he looked at the vibrant plants inside the facility.
Compared to traditional methods, which usually rely on manual labor and simple controls, greenhouses use modern irrigation and automation systems such as complex environment control and growth development information.
The technical director for research and regulations for DA-Northern Mindanao said the newly introduced greenhouse technology aims to provide innovative planting to increase productivity and ensure higher profits for Filipino farmers.
The said tech director also explained that Northern Mindanao’s agriculture department shared nearly 30 percent, while Korea’s MAFRA granted more than 70 percent of the project’s total cost.
Seventy (70) Bukidnon farmers, extensionists, and other farmer organizations in nearby provinces on sustainable smart agriculture covering strawberries, cherry tomatoes, leafy vegetables, and potatoes have been trained.
Korea’s Smart Greenhouses at NMACLRC in Dalwangan, Malaybalay, was launched on April 1, 2022, with 11 state-of-the-art greenhouses across 4,250 square meter fields. Inside, rows of fruit-bearing strawberries and cherry tomatoes, including vibrant leafy greens and potatoes, flourish in precision-designed gardens.
With the ability to produce off-season crops year-round, the DA considers the project a step towards achieving self-sufficiency for the country.
