Agriculture Business Week

When it comes to dissemination of farming technology, nothing beats the demo farm. People more easily believe what they see than what they only hear and don’t see. And that is why seed companies, fertilizer manufacturers, and even property developers resort to this strategy to win customers.

One property developer that is effectively using the demo farm idea is Manila East Lakeview Farms in Morong, Rizal. The company sells farm lots and a major come-on is that farm lot owners can grow their favorite vegetables, not just for home use but also for commercial purposes.

The company has tied up with seed companies such as Allied Botanical Corporation and East-West Seed Company in showcasing some of the most productive hybrid vegetab
That’s an effective way of enticing people to buy farm lots.  When the crops are harvestable, a harvest festival or field day is held where the public is invited. There they can see the excellent stand of the planted crops, and most likely they also have a chance to taste the harvest.

New hybrids that are truly outstanding in a number of ways are usually planted. Among the more recent introductions are the heat-resistant Green Top broccoli and the two-colored Batik glutinous or waxy corn. Another is the Malvar White cucumber which is very prolific. The demo farm works wonders not only for the real estate company, it is also highly beneficial to the seed company.

Several years back, Toto Barcelona of Harbest Agribusiness pioneered in showcasing the use of plastic mulch in demo farms he put up in various parts of the country. Today, this practical technology has been adopted by farmers for growing high-value crops in different parts of the country. That is because the use of plastic mulch is really beneficial to crop growers. Demo farms on drip irrigation have also been effective in promoting the adoption of this water-saving technology.

If you have a product to promote to farmers, why don’t you put up a demo farm?

By :  Zac B.  Sarian