By Fr. Oliver McCrossan, SSC
A training on Regenerative Agriculture/soil regeneration was conducted and held at Living Soils Farm, Sitio Kakawan, Patrocenio, Claveria, Misamis Oriental on February 22-23, 2025. The training was attended by no less than 10 key leaders of organizations from different places in Mindanao. These key leaders from peoples, farmers, and faith-based organizations have been engaged in various initiatives for the protection and care of the environment through agroecological, climate-resilient farming practices.
The training objective was to find new inspiration, to rekindle, and renew the interest of these key leaders who have been working, practicing, and promoting natural, organic, agriculture in rural areas; obtain the latest updates on the Philippine agricultural situation as well as updates on organic agroecological and soil regeneration practices; reflect and deepen understanding of the roles and functions of soil microorganisms in sustaining agriculture; and its strategies for application and wider adoption of communities.
The participants were amazed at the whole training. It was held in a venue where one can see directly the living proof of what it preaches: healthy plants grown with the use of naturally produced indigenous microorganisms. Different plants such as corn, peanuts, tomato, string beans, sweet potato, and many more are grown healthy at Living Soils Farm, with the use and application of tailored-fit/made, science-based compost and bio-solutions. Farmers witness the actual soil transformation process for better yield and healthy plants. This method has been developed and enhanced by the Living Soils Farm led by Engr. Gerry Burdas, who recently studied Soil Food Web System in California, USA.
The training navigates participants to the current and updated soil tools and materials, from simple tools like tie-wire to determine the compaction of soils to sophisticated ones, like microscopes. The session then moved into the “how-to” and “why” of regenerating, revitalizing, and healing the soil. Bobby M. Pagusara, former Coordinator of MASIPAG-Mindanao and Agroecology Consultant for the Swiss Catholic Lenten Fund (Fastenaktion) projects in the Philippines, provided a clear picture of the current agricultural context. His insights laid the foundation for understanding the urgency and relevance of the training.
The participants realized that everything goes back to the basic truth that God created everything good and perfect. The soil, in its natural state, is perfect. It holds a complete and balanced ecosystem, teeming with beneficial and non-beneficial microbes – such as bacteria, fungi, and nematodes. These organisms coexist in a way that maintains harmony, with the beneficial ones feeding on the harmful microbes, thereby neutralizing or preventing them from causing sickness and disease in plants.
As a result of this natural process, the waste or excretions—rich in minerals and nutrients consumed by bacteria and fungi—become readily available food for plants, helping them grow well. Billions of beneficial organisms such as bacteria, protozoa, fungi (including mycelium), and nematodes thrive in soils that are not treated with synthetic agrochemical fertilizers and pesticides.
Each microbe or group of microbes must be connected to the other to perform this function or task. Different kinds of microbes and minerals should be together to produce the desired result, which is making minerals and nutrients available for plants and preventing bad microbes from harming or infecting the plants. This can happen only when they are together as a community. But agrochemicals disrupt this mutual and symbiotic functioning process because all microbes good and bad are destroyed or killed by synthetic chemical fertilizers and pesticides. So natural organic farming is right and it is the right way to manage agriculture.
So, good soil is indicated by having many clusters of microbial communities bonded together, as observed by participants through the microscope during training. When organisms are in communion, good things happen. This is also the challenge to human organisms, the homo sapiens, we need to group ourselves and unite as universal clusters of communities under a common purpose of restoring the soil, of caring for the environment. We strive to do this in the best way possible following the most perfect model of communion: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.
The participants were deeply inspired and motivated to continue practicing organic farming and regenerative agroecological methods—not only to help mitigate climate change, but also to care for the environment, protect human health, and sustain life. As Greg Tacbas, a farmer leader and local Church lay minister, shared:
“For me, the training is very reaffirming and extraordinary training I’ve ever attended. In the sense that it reconfirms, and provides sufficient proof of my previously gained knowledge in the field of sustainable /organic/DIFS (Diversified and Integrated farming System) agriculture. Because of this, I am so inspired to pursue and more motivated and aggressive towards agroecology. Thank you very much Fr. Oliver McCrossan and your friends for organizing/sponsoring/supporting this training, to our scientist resource person Sir Gerry Burdas and Bobby Pagusara, for coordinating/organizing this training.”
The training gave the participants new knowledge and a renewed sense of purpose. With hope and commitment, they return to their farms and communities ready to care for the soil, protect life, and live in harmony with creation.
