JADAM: Ultra-low cost agriculture

JADAM, what is it all about? JADAM is short for “JAYONUL DAMUN SARAMDUL” a Korean word that means “people who are like nature” or follow the wisdom of nature. Its main priority is to lower the cost of organic farming so that it is within the reach of everyone. In conventional farming, farmers buy all their farming requirements from seeds to seedlings, fertilizers, pesticide. Experts tell the farmers when to apply the fertilizer that farmers have lost control of their farming. JADAM brings farming back to the farmers. In JADAM, farmers are taught and empowered to make all the farm inputs they need themselves. The soil is alive. JADAM teaches how to increase microbial diversity, boost soil minerals, raise soil fertility, etc. It is not only cheap (“production cost at $100.00 per acre per year, ten to 100 times cheaper than conventional farming”) and effective, it is easy and simple to do.

What makes JADAM low-cost is that all materials come from the field. The JADAM indigenous micro-organism solution to culture micro-organism uses mainly leaf molds, potato (or sweet potato) and salt with soft water. Leaf molds are decomposed leaves, a superior soil conditioner. Leaf mold provides excellent habitat for soil life such as earthworms and beneficial bacteria. And leaf molds are free if you’re in a farm.

Natural farming is “revolutionary” as it is Do It Yourself (DIY). It empowers farmers to make their own fertilizers with what is abundant in their area. Do you know that you can make your own fertilizers from plants abundant in the farm such as banana trunks, common vegetables that grow fast such as camote, alugbati, talinum, etc.? Do you know that you can make your own indigenous micro-organisms (IMO) that is so effective and cheap with only rice (the cheapest you can find) and molasses? The finished product IMO is feed for the soil, good to shoo away flies and remove bad odors anywhere even in pig pens.

Joji and Andry Lim invited Rei Yoon, a Korean principal researcher, English translator of the book JADAM by Young-san Cho, the son of Han-kyu Cho, the father of Korean Natural Farming. Young-san Cho developed JADAM by combining scientific knowledge with traditional Asian farming and his father’s Natural Farming. What does Hang-kyu say of his son? He said that “while Natural Farming is the foundation, Young-san went further, for JADAM is a step forward, it is ULTRA LOW-COST and IT WORKS!”

In October, Rei Yoon did four (4) workshops: TMFI in Davao (Mindanao), Bohol State University (Visayas), Terra Verde in Cavite and Flor’s Garden Antipolo (Luzon). All participants in the workshops were “JADAMized” as if it was a “virus”. Rei Yoong will be coming back in April.

Philippine Gross Domestic Product (GDP) increased by 6.9% in the 3rd quarter but agriculture grew at a slower pace at 2.5% vs 3.0% in 3rd quarter 2016. Still, agriculture showed better growth of 4.6% YTD 2017 vs -1.3% in 2016.

Isn't it " tragic" that while the farmers feed our nation, some of them are so poor they can't even feed themselves? The Filipino farmers annual income ($600) is way below that of the Philippines average per capita income (below $4,000). With JADAM’s ultra-low cost technology, farmers cost of production goes down and they become self sufficient . With one third (1/3) of the Philippines workforce in agriculture contributing less than 10% to GDP, agriculture can be a real game changer if productivity goes up. With JADAM’s ultra lowcost as technology, the Agri Mentor Me Program of Agri Go Negosyo, (which changes the mind of farmers to be agripreneurs), Dr. William Dar’s Inclusive Market Oriented Development (IMOD), the government’s encouragement on farm tourism, farm learning sites and schools, soon Philippine farmers will be prosperous and progressive. And as marketeer Willy Arcilla says “Philippine food is Island Green Food 100% Fresh Natural Organic!”

***** Ms. Tarriela is Chairman of Philippine National Bank. She was formerly Undersecretary of Finance and the First Filipina Vice President of Citibank N.A. She is a natural farmer and an environmentalist. ftarriela@ yahoo.com