FARM MODELS AND DEMONSTRATION FARMS
I. INTRODUCTION
The Demonstration Farm is a living classroom, showcasing over a dozen practical
techniques. More than simply telling farmers about sustainable concepts, the Demonstration Farm
shows them what works, how it is done, and enables them to envision ways to incorporate these
techniques on their own land.
A demonstration farm is a farm which is used primarily to demonstrate various agricultural
techniques, with any economic gains being an added bonus. Demonstration farms are often owned
and operated by educational institution or government ministries. It is also common to rent land
from a local farmer. The leaser is allowed to perform their demonstrations, while the land owner
can be paid for the land usage or may be given the resulting crops.
Many demonstration farms not only have crops, but may also have various types of
livestock. Various techniques for feeding and bedding are tested on these farms. Demonstration
farms run by universities are not only used for research, but are also used for teaching purposes.
The Ontario Agricultural College operates a demonstration farm in which students take active
participation in their classes.
There has also been an expanding number of demonstration farms which are used to test
various forms of renewable energy, primarily wind turbines and solar panels.
One of the major functions of Extension workers is disseminating useful and practical
information. One good way to do this is through well-planned and carefully- conducted
demonstrations. On-farm demonstrations serve as one of the most effective Extension education
tools ever developed. More than simply telling farmers about sustainable concepts, the
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Demonstration Farm shows them what works, how it is done, and enables them to envision ways
to incorporate these techniques on their own land.
Although complete demonstrations require considerable time and effort, the payback
comes when producers more readily adapt practices they perceive to be appropriate under local
conditions. This is known as “seeing is believing.” And the clients who observe demonstrations of
the latest techniques or practices and then apply them to their own particular situations are our
present and future Extension leaders.
Demonstrations should not be casually developed or implemented. Instead, as their name
implies, demonstrations should have predictable outcomes based on a research foundation.
Demonstrations should illustrate the application of appropriate technology, that is, technology that
fits the local set of conditions. When this occurs, the maximum learning will result from the
resources invested.
II. DISCUSSION
A. Guidelines for the Selection of Demonstration Farms
1. Location/Site Selection
a. Agricultural Lot
The proposed demo and training farm shall preferably be established along a national or
provincial road and accessible to the public. In case said lot is not available, the demo and training
farm may be established along a baranggay road, the distance of which should not exceed five (5)
kilometers from a national/provincial road. Preference for the selection of the demo and training
farm shall be accorded to those identified by the convergence initiatives by the Department of
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Agriculture (DA), Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) and Department of Environment and
Natural Resources (DENR). Existing farms certified as organic shall also be given priority.
b. Aquaculture Areas
Potential sites for aquaculture shall preferably be accessible to the public and established in
accordance with the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) Administrative Order
(FAO) 214: Code of Practice for Aquaculture.
2. Ownership
The demo and training farm may be put-up in a government lot or in a private land. If the
farm is in a government-owned land, the lot shall be dedicated for sole use as an organic demo
farm and shall not be converted to any other purpose within five (5) years from its establishment.
An official certification/issuance from the Head-of-Office assuring the continuity of use of the
land as an organic demo and training farm shall be required.
For privately owned land/s, a proof of ownership or possession or any other legal
document/instrument shall be presented by the grantee that he is the legal owner/possessor of the
land. Said lot shall, at the time of selection, not be subject to litigation.
A farm manager/responsible person/contact person shall be designated as the contact
person for the established demo and training farm. The contact person shall liaise with the Regional
Field Units of the Department of Agriculture regarding updates and required information about the
demo and training farm.
Existing certified organic farms shall be accorded higher priority in the selection of organic
demo and training farms. Organic farms under conversion may also be given priority depending
on the needs of the area or region.
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3. Farm Size/ Stocking Density
The minimum requirement for the size of lot shall depend upon the crops and/or
livestock/poultry/aquaculture stocks to be grown and/or raised. For guidance, the following are the
recommended lot sizes:
TYPE
Hectarage/Population (No. of animals)
Rice
0.5 ha (min)
Integrated Rice-Duck/Fish farming system
230 heads (max)/ha.; 1 ha (min)
Corn
1 ha. (min)
High-value vegetables
0.5ha min
Other vegetables including indigenous
0.5ha min
vegetables
Swine
Breeding sows
7 heads (max)/ha./batch
Pigs for fattening
14 heads (max)//batch
Poultry
Broilers
300 heads/batch (max); 1 ha (min)
Laying chickens
200 heads (max)/ha.; 1 ha (min)
Bovine
2 heads (max)/ha; 2 ha (min)
Dairy cows
Small Ruminants
20 heads (max)/ha
Coconut (existing)
5 ha. (min)
Fruit trees (existing)
1 ha.
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Integrated fruits, vegetables and animals
1 ha. (min)
(existing)
Aquaculture
0.25 ha. (min)
Stocking density shall be determined by
BFAR
4. Demo Farm Inputs
All inputs such as organic seeds, livestock/poultry/aquaculture stocks and minimal farm
structure shall be provided initially by the project. Subsequent organic seeds and stocks should be
produced by the proponent. Farm labor for cultivation (plowing, harrowing, weeding, etc.) or
animal raising shall be the farmer’s equity except it the farm was established in a government lot.
Labor cost for the construction of animal farm houses shall be provided by the project.
In addition, sheds for bio-composting and related structures and equipment shall be at the
expense of the project. After the project the facilities and equipments could be turned over to the
owner of the area/techno demo provided that the project was done successfully in the entire
duration of project life, otherwise carried out the movable equipment and facilities shall be
transferred to another co-operator.
B. List of Farm Models and Demonstration Farms in the Philippines
1. Carmona Organic Demo Farm
This was developed on November 2001 in a 1.7 hectare lot in Barangay Maduya transferred
at Brgy. Lantic. It was funded in cooperation with the Department of Agriculture under a “1 million
counterpart funding program.”
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Program Objectives:

To promote environmentally sound and healthy farm products free from synthetic
fertilizers and chemical pesticides.

To provide a demonstration farm that will motivate farmers to go into organic farming.

To maximize agricultural returns for the remaining farm lands
Program Components

Organic vegetable production

Native chicken production

Ornamental production

Urban Agriculture showcase area
In response to the need to educate the people with the efficient and very practical use of
space, particularly with the urbanization of the communities, an Urban Agriculture Showcase Area
has been added to the farm. There, the people can see a small lot with different vegetables and
herbs growing side by side or growing in cans, bottles, and other containers that are simply
discarded.
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2. Benguet State University (BSU) Demo Farm
The Benguet State University (BSU) is now certified as organic producer of crops
particularly for highland vegetables, herbs, and fruits — the first recognition issued to a Philippine
university. The Organic Certification Center of the Philippines (OCCP) certified BSU’s Organic
Demo Farm as a fully organic farm by virtue of Certification No. 0038F10, effective December
15, 2010 to December 14, 2011.
The Organic Demo Farm started as the experiment area of the Department of Soil Science
of the College of Agriculture (DSS-CA). It produces various highland vegetables, herbs, and fruits
organically. Some of these crops are American amaranth, asparagus, beans, pepper, broccoli, bush
beans, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, and celery to name a few.
A variety of veggies inside the biggest greenhouse at the Organic Demo Farm in different stages
of maturity for a continuous supply to market.
OCCP is the lone certifying organization on organic farming in the Philippines accredited
by the Department of Agriculture through the Bureau of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Product
Standards (BAFPS).
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Certification process started in September 2010 followed by on-site visitation/inspection
in compliance to OCCP standards. Among other requirements, OCCP requires that prior to the
filing of application for certification the area to be certified should have undergone at least a 3─5
year conversion from a chemical farm to an organic farm. This was forgone in the case of the BSU
Organic Demo Farm since the area has been converted into an organic farm in 2001.
Sturdy crops planted outside the greenhouses after the rainy season.
In 2004, which marked BSU’s organic agriculture advocacy, crop production in the area
was limited to the use of organic material. It was opened to the public as a demonstration farm for
composting and for showcasing of organic farming technologies.
The Organic Demo Farm started selling its produce commercially in 2007. As a certified
full organic farm, BSU’s organic demo farm now uses packaging materials sporting the OCCP
logo.
Outlets for the farm’s produce are the BSU Organic Market located near the Research and
Extension Building (across the road behind the PNB-La Trinidad Branch) and at the BSU
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Marketing Center. Expansion for market outlets is now being considered by the management as a
result of increasing domestic demand.
Incidentally, BSU is the base agency of the Highland Agriculture and Resources Research
and Development Consortium (HARRDEC), one of the 14 regional R&D consortia of PCARRD.
3. Costales Nature Farms
Costales Nature Farms is a commercial scale, integrated and sustainable organic farm
situated just below the foot of Mount Banahaw, Brgy. Gagalot, Majayjay, Laguna.
Costales Nature Farms is a prime agrotourism destination that conducts ecological and
balanced farming techniques, which aims to promote a sustainable agriculture, healthy lifestyle,
and environmental biodiversity through integrated organic farming.
The farming practices were patterned with the Japanese Farming Systems and Korean
Natural Farming wherein micro organisms played a vital role not only in enriching the soil but
also in the production of vegetables, fruits, fish, poultry and livestock.
The farm is visited by more than 3000 tourists (local and foreign) every month with
different purposes. Farmer visitors want to know and learn how we do organic farming.
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Businessmen want to invest and relax at the farm. Students conduct their educational tours.
Families want to have more time for bonding.
The farm was adjudged as the Most Outstanding Organic Farm of the Philippines for the
year 2012 recognized by,
Benigno Simeon Aquino III, President of the Republic of the
Philippines. We continue to create awareness about the ill-effects of chemical inputs in food
production, the importance of organic farming, inspiring small farmers to become better
agripreneurs, encouraging students to engage into organic agriculture and patronizing organic
produce for a healthy lifestyle.
The five (5)-hectare farm was developed in 2005, initially as a family week-end getaway
and a source of healthy and steady supply of organic vegetables and livestock for the family. Went
commercial in growing organic produce in 2008 and became the country’s biggest single producer
of high- value vegetables and culinary herbs.
The farm maintains its sustainability by integrating various enterprises like high-value
crops & culinary herbs production, free range poultry and livestock raising, aqua culture, vermi
culture and orchard enterprise. The farm is a perfect model of not only certified organic production
but also, sustainability, income diversification, business partnership, agrotourism, extension
service, creative fund generation and people management.
In 2012, Costales Nature Farms opened up its gates for business opportunities in organic
agriculture with Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW’s) for Joint-Venture (JV) programs on the
establishment of greenhouse facilities enabling the Company’s aggressive expansion of organic
high-value vegetable/culinary herbs production for local distribution. Partner OFWs are now
enjoying their continuous share of farm revenues while at the same time, working abroad.
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Dizon Farms, the largest fresh produce integrator in the country also ventured with the Costaleses’
by establishing its own greenhouse facilities managed only by the finest management and
technical team of Costales Nature Farms. The organic farm produce in these greenhouse units can
be found at the Organic section of Dizon Farms in different supermarkets.
Also at the same year, Costales Nature Farms partnered with top-of-mind organic
processed food distributor and number one wellness store in the country, Healthy Options, in the
production of organic free-range chickens, eggs and pigs. All the produce are now exclusively sold
at Healthy Options outlets. Healthy Options, also helped-out in the establishment of top-of-the
line post-harvest facilities to ensure highest standard of food hygiene.
4. GK Enchanted Farm
The GK Enchanted Farm is Gawad Kalinga’s platform to raise social entrepreneurs, help
our local farmers and create wealth in the countryside. As we learned that the road out of poverty
is a continuing journey and therefore, providing homes is merely the beginning, we also realized
that our country is abundant with resources (land included) that we can harness for every Filipino
to continuously lead a life with dignity. The envision the GK Enchanted farm to be three things:
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(1) a farm village university, (2) a silicon valley for social entrepreneurship, and (3) a 'Disneyland'
for social tourism.
5. Los Baños, A Philippines-Israel-USAID Agricultural Demonstration Farm
The Los Baños Agricultural Demonstration Farm was established in the National Crop
Research and Development Centre (NCRDC) of the Bureau of Plant Industry in 1997, in
cooperation with the Philippine Ministry of Agriculture, MASHAV and USAID. The strategy of
this cooperation took into account 6 main objectives of the High Value Commercial Crop
Programme, scheduled for implementation by the government of the Philippines during 19972000, as follows:

Upgrading production technologies of high value crops;

Improving production quality standards;

Expanding income opportunities through value added activities;

Increasing access to local and export markets;

Increasing private sector involvement in agribusiness through cost effective incentives;

Reducing post-harvest losses.
Farm infrastructure includes submersible pumps, main underground pipes, sprinklers, a
drip and microjet irrigation system, a top-ventilated greenhouse, a super tunnel and nursery
facilities.
a. The concept of an integrated farm
The concept of this integrated model farm was designed to supplement the theoretical
formulation of the High Value Crops Programme. The implementation of this Programme requires
the introduction of technologies that are not currently used by local farmers in the Philippines.
As far as vegetable production is concerned, these technologies include:
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1. Intensive cropping patterns and rotations of export and local market vegetable crop
throughout the year;
2. Greenhouses protecting the environment, for the production of off-season vegetable
crops in soil-less element during the rainy season;
3. Use of efficient pressurized irrigation techniques with associated technologies, such as
fertigation;
4. Use of appropriate crop varieties, adaptable to the prevailing low altitude in tropical
conditions;
5. Modern nursery practices, for the production of high quality seedlings;
6. Pre-cooling and pre-packing post-harvest facilities, to add value to the harvested
products, according to targeted market specifications;
7. Use of appropriate integrated pest and disease management practices to comply with
marketing needs, especially the maximum allowable pesticide residue levels.
b. Crop selection
Crop selection for the farm is based primarily on two main criteria:

Suitability for production under low altitude conditions in Los Baños, which represent large
areas throughout the southern portions of the Island of Luzon;

Feasibility of marketing in both local and export markets; marketing orientation is
thoroughly emphasized in the High Value Crop Programme, and has been given prime
consideration.
The following crops are being assessed in demonstration plots covering an area of 6
hectares: Export market crops: okra, eggplant, baby corn, cucumber, vegetable soya bean, chili.
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c. Programme Objectives
The main goal of this Programme is to demonstrate a year-round intensive semicommercial production of high value crops. Since the inception of activities in the model farm in
Los Baños, the demonstration of intensive and modern farm technologies include: land
preparation, planting patterns and plant population, varieties, weed control, irrigation management
and regimes, fertilization and fertigation, integrated pest and disease management practices,
harvesting, post-harvest handling and marketing.
These technologies serve as major tools in the realization of the Programme's objectives.
This practical model farm, which demonstrates matured and proven market oriented
agrotechnologies, has become a showcase for farmers opting for commercial farming. The
demonstration of these technologies brings together farmers and researchers to share and facilitate
the initiation of intensive commercial systems into the farmer's field.
6. Zitanga Permaculture Farm
Located in the northern part of Cagayan Valley region, in Ballesteros Cagayan, Zitanga
Farm is a piece of forested land owned by the Areola Family. We will soon start the development
of a Permaculture inspired ecovillage. The site consists of an existing productive 5-15 year old
food forestry, two flowing creeks and tropical rain forest system. The special feature of the site
shall be the construction of a dam that eventually creates a two kilometer narrow lake and ideal
for fishing and recreation and also the future source of the village's power and energy. It shall be
a demonstration and educational site for Permaculture in that region of the country.
They are in the process of establishing food forest and gardens. Once completed, it shall
be home to about five families, permanent and volunteers. We are presently searching for serious
partners preferably PDC graduates who are motivated with the ethics and principles of
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Permaculture and someone who understands Permaculture design and are truly interested in
helping us to develop the site into a truly functional permaculture eco-village. If you are a PDC
teacher or practitioner, come and join us and you are very much welcome to live here.
The economic situation as well as the environment at the moment is getting worst. Life is
getting harder and obviously becoming more chaotic and we believe that setting up a model
system, an intentional ecovillage is the right thing to do. If you think you feel the same thing and
have that intention to change for the better, we are inviting you to visit our site and let us discuss
together, seriously, a very long term partnership that really works.
Permaculture offers a very promising design system that can be used, to develop a
sustainable and peaceful community, a system that is guided by ethics and principles.
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III. CONCLUSION
In a system of on-farm demonstrations that functions well, Extension agents participate in
the entire process and so are able to transfer recommendations to farmers with skill and confidence.
When farmers are actively involved in on-farm demonstrations, they act as an avenue for the
diffusion of new technology. By monitoring farmers’ opinions and use of new technologies, agents
can improve their understanding of farmers’ needs and preferences
An important factor influencing the success or failure of any demonstration is publicity.
Publicity should start during the planning stage and continue until all demonstrations are
concluded. The demonstration or field trial should have a prominent sign that is in place when the
demonstration is initiated. Also use signs to identify each treatment. This is helpful to farmers and
others who informally stop by to view the plots on their own time, as well as for any tour groups
you might organize. Always remember to take all signs down when the demonstration is
completed. And let farmers and other community leaders know (by postcard, letter, poster,
newspaper, television, and radio) that a demonstration is being conducted.
The development of the agricultural sector in the Philippines, like in any other country, has
been highly dedicated to small farmers, with particular focus on livelihood and general well being.
The country’s agricultural systems followed a very distinct policy-driven development
characterized by increasing conflict caused by increasing population and inability to relate
sustainable development of agriculture with urban and industrial development needs. Agriculture
development, despite the advances in production technologies and improved human capacity, was
not able to progress to provide strong safety nets and shelter to rural farming communities against
the increasing global pressures of marketing competition. The net result is the unmitigated loss of
native capacity of soils to sustain nutrient needs of new high yielding plant varieties that are
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comparatively superior to the traditional plant varieties in extracting plant food from the soil to
support their large biomass production. The final impact of inability to provide proper soil nutrition
to the modern plant varieties is a creeping soil degradation that reduces the overall capacity of the
Philippines to meet growing food demands from high population growth rate.
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IV. REFERENCES
http://rfu3.da.gov.ph/index.php/organic-agriculture-program/laws-insurance/15-what-is-organicagriculture-guidelines-for-the-selection-of-organic-demo-and-training-farms?showall=&start=4
http://carmonagov.net/home/organic-demo-farm.html
http://www.pcaarrd.dost.gov.ph/home/ssentinel/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&i
d=1905%3Absu-organic-demo-farm-now-occp-certified&Itemid=41
http://www.himalayaninstitute.org/humanitarian/mexico/demonstration-farm-modeling-selfsufficiency/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demonstration_farm
http://www.mfa.gov.il/mfa/mashav/archive/pages/los%20banos-%20a%20philippines-israelusaid%20agricultural.aspx
http://www.costalesnaturefarms.com/costales_nature_fams.php
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