Villar Foundation donate organic fertilizer to Davao City farmers

Almost 500 kilograms of organic fertilizer were distributed to 30 farmers in Davao’s District 3 by the Villar Foundation in its CSR activity with masterplan developer Camella Davao.
The fertilizer was produced from kitchen wastes of households in Camella’s development in Talomo, the Caribbean-themed Solariega, which has a solid waste management program.
“The fertilizer is a product of the Solariega’s composting facility which is part of our Ecological Waste Management Program, a joint project of Villar foundation and Camella Davao,” said Marlon B. Escalicas, Camella Davao GM.
Escalicas explained that kitchen wastes from Solariega homes are pressed, mixed with coco peat and enzyme, placed in a shredder and mixed inside a composting machine. Once dried, the finished product is filtered and packed.
“I would like to encourage farmers in Davao and nearby provinces to learn this technology which we are willing to share. Learn how to produce organic fertilizer and you can use this for livelihood,” said Mrs. Villar.
A representative of the farmer beneficiaries, Carlito Gamad, accepted the fertilizer donation in behalf of his fellow farmers who come from barangays in District 3 where some of Camella’s developments are located.
The organic fertilizer can be used by farmers to improve their crop yield and keep their farms free of synthetic fertilizers which can potentially harm the environment.
The composting facility is only one of the Villar Foundation’s many green social enterprises and projects which include water hyacinth weaving, handloom blanket weaving, coco net, plastic pulverizing into hollow blocks and pavers, and Christmas lantern-making.
In its 20 years, the Villar Foundation has provided livelihood assistance to beneficiaries through enterprise development in over 100 cities and towns across the country.
The fertilizer donation is only the first batch that will be given out to selected beneficiaries in Davao. Solariega will continue to feed its waste to the composting facility to produce more fertilizers that can be distributed to more farmers in Davao.
Opened in November last year, the composting facility is the first project of the Villar Foundation in Southern Mindanao. It can produce 350 kilograms of organic fertilizers a month based on the current supply of household waste from Solariega.
The Villar Foundation had put up two more composting facilities in General Santos City and Cagayan de Oro City where Camella developments, namely Camella Gen. Santos and Gran Europa, are also located.