The Department of Agriculture Research Division in the Caraga Region (DA-13) is developing a cropping system to supplement soil nutrients and increase farm production.

In a statement on Wednesday, DA-13 said the Corn-Corn-Soybean Cropping System is considered a promising farming technique that can help the region’s corn farmers increase their yields and income.

The study, which will run for 15 months, started on Tuesday in a five-hectare soybean area in Barangay Azpetia, Prosperidad town in Agusan del Sur province.

“The Bureau of Agricultural Research funds the 15 months long study and aims to increase the productivity and income of corn farmers through corn and soybeans cropping,” the DA-13 said.

It added that the study will verify whether the cropping system enhances soil nutrients, specifically nitrogen, through soybeans and increases farmers’ output.

In the same statement, DA-13 agriculturist Richard Tabudlong explained that planting under the cropping system would include two cropping of corn and to be followed by the soybean.

DA-13 said that the Caraga Region has 27,744 hectares of farmlands devoted to corn production. (PNA)