(INQUIRER FILE PHOTO /GRIG C. MONTEGRANDE)

MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos Jr. on Friday led the inauguration of the first mobile soil laboratory (MSL) in the country, aimed at providing farmers with knowledge and technology for scientific methods of farming.

The MSL is a project of the Bureau of Soils and Water Management under its National Soil Health Program.

According to Marcos, some farmers in the country still lack knowledge on the proper production of crops.

“I saw that our farmers really don’t know how to use fertilizer; how to use pesticide; when to apply them; the condition of their soil; when to irrigate; when there’s too much water, it’s wasted, when to stop it. All of this is not known by the farmers,” he said during the ceremony at the Palace.

With the use of MSL, farmers can protect the health of their soil, use fertilizers properly, and achieve higher yields.

“Layunin ng proyektong ito na bigyan ang ating  mga magsasaka ng kaalaman at teknolohiyang magagamit nila sa siyentipiko na paraan ng pagsasaka,” Marcos said.

(The aim of this project is to provide our farmers with knowledge and technology that they can use in scientifically-based farming methods.)

Sixteen more MSL units will be set up across all regions of the country, he added.

The MSL is a customized 10-wheeler truck equipped with state-of-the-art equipment, facilities, resources, and safety features.

It has the capability to analyze 44 parameters related to the chemical, physical, and microbiological properties of soil.

The initial operation of the laboratory is free, and results can be provided to farmers within five days.

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