Harnessing Nature’s Allies for Sustainable Organic Farming

As agriculture seeks more sustainable ways to produce food, attention is increasingly turning to biological resources that can work alongside nature. Among these are native and beneficial fungi, including Trichoderma, which holds potential as both a biofertilizer that supports plant growth and a biocontrol agent that helps manage harmful microorganisms. Unlocking the value of these microscopic allies, however, requires more than knowing their potential—it calls for practical knowledge and technical skills to isolate, produce, and utilize them for organic farming.

This was the focus of the Training on the Utilization of Native Fungi for Sustainable Organic Farming: A Practical Guide to Isolating Beneficial Fungi and Utilizing Trichoderma as a Biofertilizer and Biocontrol Agent, held on August 19–20, 2026, at the DA–Cagayan Valley Research Center, Ilagan City, Isabela. Organized by the Cagayan Valley Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development (CVAARRD) Consortium in collaboration with RM-CARES and Central Luzon State University (CLSU), the two-day training brought together 43 representatives from CVAARRD member institutions, including farmers from the Provincial Local Government Unit of Cagayan and Ilagan City, Isabela, for technical learning, knowledge exchange and hands-on application. Led by Ms. Lani Lou A. Lopez, the training took participants from the fundamentals of organic agriculture to the practical processes of producing organic farm inputs, isolating beneficial fungi and utilizing Trichoderma for sustainable farming.

The training moved beyond lectures as participants put scientific concepts into practice. They explored the isolation of beneficial fungi from various habitats and performed media preparation and isolation of beneficial fungi, gaining firsthand experience in the processes involved in developing biological farm inputs. The activities demonstrated how agricultural resources can be explored through scientific techniques and potentially transformed into useful components of organic farming systems.

The learning then shifted to Trichoderma, with participants examining its multifunctional role in organic farming and its potential as a biofertilizer and biocontrol agent. Through hands-on activities on media preparation and mass production of Trichoderma, they gained practical experience in producing the beneficial microorganism—knowledge that can support further study, technology demonstration, research and extension initiatives.

By equipping participants with skills in fungal isolation and Trichoderma production, the initiative brings science into the field, translating research-based knowledge into practical possibilities for farms and communities. As participants carry these lessons back to their respective institutions and areas of work, the training lays the groundwork for continued exploration and application of native fungi and Trichoderma in advancing more sustainable organic farming in Cagayan Valley.