2012 Ramon Magsaysay Awards: Pinoy transforms farmers into scientists

MANILA, Philippines -  Inspired by his father’s advice that “there is no barren soil, only barren minds,” Romulo Davide became one of the country’s top agricultural scientists.

Davide is among this year’s winners of the Ramon Magsaysay Award, considered Asia’s counterpart of the prestigious Nobel Prize.

Born in the mountain village of Colawin in Argao, Cebu, Davide, 78, was recognized by the award foundation for his “steadfast passion in placing the power and discipline of science in the hands of Filipino farmers, who have consequently multiplied their yields, created productive farming communities and rediscovered the dignity of their labor.”

He finished his Bachelor of Science in Agriculture major in Plant Pathology at the University of the Philippines in Los Baños (UPLB), Laguna in 1957 and took his Master of Science at the Oklahoma State University in 1962.

He was named Outstanding Agricultural Scientist by the Department of Agriculture in 1994.

He used his award money to launch in Colawin village the corn-based Farmer-Scientists Training Program (FSTP), which aimed to turn farmers into “farmer-scientists” able to do experiments, discover effective techniques, manage the market and increase production.

Davide’s FSTP enabled farmers to increase corn yields 12-fold and adopt intercropping system and animal production technologies that further boost their income, according to the foundation. The national government adopted the FSTP project in 2008 for countrywide implementation, with the agriculture department and the UPLB as lead implementers and Davide as program leader.

Today, FSTP is being implemented in 20 provinces in the country.

With a doctorate and advanced training in the United States and Ireland, Davide was hailed as the “Father of Plant Nematology” for his many years of teaching and groundbreaking research on nematode pests that infest, debilitate and destroy agricultural crops.

His discovery of nematode-trapping fungi led to the development of Biocon, the first Philippine biological control product that can be used against nematode pests attacking vegetables, banana, potato, pineapple, rice and other agricultural crops.

The product is a practical substitute for highly toxic and expensive chemical nematicides.

Davide’s discovery was commercially marketed to fight farm nematode infestation in the Philippines, Latin America and other parts of the world.

He continues to be driven by the dream that the “land can be made fertile if minds are challenged to become fertile as well.”

Apart from Davide, six other remarkable individuals described as “Heroes of Asia” are the recipients of the 2012 Ramon Magsaysay Award, said foundation president Carmencita Abella. They come from Taiwan, India, Bangladesh, Cambodia and Indonesia. The foundation was established in 1957, the year former President Ramon Magsaysay died in a plane crash. Magsaysay was known for his humility and simplicity.

The award is given to individuals or groups who have made life better for their fellowmen and for their community.

The awarding will be held on Aug. 31 at 4:30 p.m. at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) in Pasay City.

The foundation will conduct a free training for teachers with Davide as the guest speaker on Sept. 1 at the Ramon Magsaysay Center in Manila.