DSS Soil Health Services Program (DsoHESeP),” an initiative of Visayas State University’s Department of Soil Science, helps farmers discover new ways to unlock the full potential of their land.

“Soil has a lot of functions,” says Mr. Sereñina, a project member of DsoHESeP. 

“One of the pressing challenges with farmers in Region 8 is that they do not know the fertility status of their soil. In order to establish a proper farm management system, you should know your soil and its capacity to provide nutrients to your crop. And that is our extension project—we wanted to provide farmers an awareness on how to assess the fertility status of their soil,” he added. 

The extension project provides free soil tests to farmers, allowing them to collect samples from their land and submit them to the VSU laboratory. It aims to empower farmers with the tools they need to understand and enhance their farming activities.

But the program doesn’t stop at test results.

It brings science into the field through hands-on demonstrations, teaching participants how to use tools like a Rapid Soil Test kit (RST). 

RST is an innovative tool developed by the Department of Agriculture, Bureau of Soils and Water Management (DA-BSWM). These kits can be used by farmers and agricultural technicians in the field to quickly identify macro and micronutrient deficiencies in the soil that may limit rice and other crop production. 

Additionally, it includes quick field analyses for Zinc, Calcium, and Magnesium.

The heart of the extension project lies in its personalized card. They have given farmers a Soil Health Card, a farmer-friendly document summarizing soil conditions and recommendations for fertilizer use, crop rotation, and land management. 

Mr. Sereñina expressed that they have used this card to help farmers personalize their farm with the intent of preserving the environment.  

“We have adapted the soil health card from the Department of Agriculture’s Yamang Lupa program. This has given farmers an idea to personalize their farm, without degrading the environment. We want to capacitate  farmers with this kind of tool so that they can use it in their field and teach other farmers as well, giving them a sense of empowerment.”

For small-scale farmers who often lack access to professional agricultural services, the free support is a game-changer. 

The extension project conducted a community field day in Brgy. Monterico, Baybay City, Leyte, where farmers observed live soil sampling demonstrations. Similar demonstrations were also held during the Farmers and Fisherfolks’ Day celebration on April 29, 2025, attracting many farmers, including those who had never experienced in-depth soil analysis before.

“Many farmers are surprised to learn they can tell a lot about soil health just by using the test kit,” uttered Mr. Sereñina. 

Due to its success, the DSS is implementing a Soil Health Services Program and is collaborating with the City Agriculture Office (CAO) of Baybay to help more farmers through fertilizer recommendations and proper farm resource management. 

Both parties plan to jointly conduct training, field activities, and monitoring efforts, with VSU providing technical support and soil analysis, and CAO-Baybay providing venues and overseeing local implementation.

Farmers interested in improving their soil health can request a free test kit or join an upcoming soil health workshop through their municipal agriculture office or by contacting the VSU Department of Soil Science directly.

The article aligns with Sustainable Development Goals (SDG): 2 – Zero Hunger, 12 – Responsible Consumption and Production, 13 – Climate Action, 15 – Life on Land, and 17 – Partnerships for the Goals