I discovered Kahariam Farms black soldier fly production a few weeks ago. The Agricultural Training Institute invited bloggers to attend the forum in Batangas. I agreed to the invitation after the assurance that the area is not affected by the Taal Volcano situation.

The thought about these pesky flies that land on anything everywhere made me wonder why it’s the topic at the forum. As the event unfolded, I realized I’m thinking of house flies. Black soldier flies (BSF) are not your ordinary flies.

They are not annoying because it doesn’t enter houses. They prefer biodegradable waste, which they consume and convert to compost. Despite preference to waste, these insects don’t carry diseases. I also learned that their presence eliminates the colonization of house flies.

Live black soldier fly larvae can be fed to animals or processed for longer storage. This makes it an excellent alternative to soya beans sourced from other countries. In short, BSF is beneficial for biodegradable waste management and agriculture.

Kahariam Farms adopted Black Soldier Fly Production in 2018 when they discovered its potential. With 23 hectares of farmland, the farm has the capability of developing the technology. They have the space for the facilities for breeding, mating, drying, production, and experimentation.

The people behind Kahariam are not newbies in this kind of project. Headed by farm owner Mr. Manuel Bagatsing, they’ve been involved in various organic agriculture projects, including organic rice seed production. Certified by the Organic Certification Center of the Philippines (OCCP, the farm is one of the biggest commercial producers of vermicast in the country.

The family-owned farm is an organic farm school and resort conducting agricultural courses such as organic farming, organic fertilizer, urban gardening, and organic piggery production. Now, they can share their knowledge of black soldier fly production. Students will not just learn theories, but also gain hands-on experience because of the facilities.

Kahariam Farms also has accommodations and function rooms for conferences, team building, and other corporate affairs. I had a staycation which is an enjoyable break from the city. There’s even a strong wifi connection that allowed me to do a quick conference call with my client in the evening.

The farm is a unique environment to learn organic agriculture. Black soldier fly production holds a lot of promise for the country. Aside from being able to manage biodegradable waste, farmers will appreciate it because it’s a cheaper alternative for fertilizer and animal feed. Dried BSF larvae can also be marketed for export to other countries such as Japan.

Kudos to Kahariam Farms on their efforts to develop and enhance the technology. I hope that government agencies such as the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Science and Technology, and other organizations would collaborate so that the entire country will benefit from it.

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For more information:

KAHARIAM FARMS
Address: Lipa-Ibaan Road, Brgy Adya, Lipa City Batangas 4217
Contact No. +63.918.830.0090
Website: www.kahariamfarms.com [/box]