Agusan del Sur 2nd District Rep. Adolph Edward Plaza on Wednesday warned that the country is facing a worsening ‘soil health crisis’ that threatens food production and farmers’ livelihoods.
Speaking at the opening of the three-day Stakeholders Forum on Soil Testing Protocols and Information Systems at the Datu Lipus Makapandong Covered Court here, Plaza urged agricultural agencies to ground their policies in science, saying outdated tools and one-size-fits-all programs have eroded soil quality and undermined farm productivity.
He said meaningful agricultural reform must begin with ‘listening to science,’ not political convenience or tradition.
‘This is not about politics or bureaucratic optics,’ he said. ‘We must accept that only science can make our policies coherent, responsive, and strategic to national development.’
Plaza, who served 15 years as governor before entering Congress, recalled how early briefings from soil experts in 2022 exposed him to the gravity of the damage caused by decades of ‘wanton reliance on synthetic fertilizers’ and fragmented government interventions.
He said the brunt of the crisis falls on farmers who endure low harvests, shrinking incomes, rising costs, and fewer opportunities for their children. ‘With low harvest comes desperation. With low yield, the children of our farmers lose their fair share of life’s battle,’ Plaza explained.
Plaza stressed that soil conditions vary widely across the country, making local diagnostics essential. ‘The soils of Agusan are not the soils of Bataan, Ilocos Norte, or Australia,’ he said. ‘Policies must reflect the reality of each locality.’
He invited scientists to treat Agusan del Sur as a ‘living laboratory’ for soil research that directly improves farmer productivity and well-being. ‘More than scientific evolution, this must lead to agricultural transformation,’ he said