ILOILO City – For farmers in Western Visayas, guessing how much fertilizer to use or what crop fits best in their land may soon be a thing of the past.
A new mobile soil laboratory (MSL) deployed by the Department of Agriculture (DA) promises quick, science-based answers that can change the way they farm every day.
“The mobile lab can quickly generate results of soil tests for farmers within five days and as fast as within the day when the samples are already collected for analysis,” said Babylou Magdaug, DA Region 6 chief of the Regional Soils Laboratory.
The P42-million facility, mounted on a customized 10-wheeler truck, is designed to reach more communities, offering free testing for rice, corn, vegetables, root crops, and high-value crops.
By analyzing soil conditions, it will help farmers avoid over-fertilization, cut down on wasted inputs, and prevent long-term soil degradation — practices that translate to real savings and healthier harvests.
Farmers can expect practical guidance, from the right timing and amount of fertilizer to better soil conservation methods.
“It will help farmers adopt data-driven crop management practices to guide them in applying fertilizer properly and efficiently, and soil conservation,” Magdaug added.
The mobile lab arrived in Iloilo on Aug. 14 and is stationed at the Western Visayas Integrated Agricultural Research Center in Barangay Hamungaya, Jaro.
It is set to become fully operational in October under the DA’s National Soil Health Program./PN
