Philippines Organic Agriculture
Organic agriculture is one of the programs of the Department of Agriculture (DA) that promote environmentally, socially and economically sound technologies and practices for food production.
The DA recently conducted an Orientation-Training in the implementation of the Organic Agriculture Program at the RIARS Training Center, DA Compound San Agustin in Pili, Camarines sur.
The participants include focal persons from the six provinces of the region, the regional technical working group, NGOs, farmers identified as cooperators of the program.
Agriculture Regional Executive Director Jose V. Dayao said that Organic Agriculture is one of the priority programs of Secretary Proceso J. Alcala, not because he is one of the principal authors of the Organic Agriculture Act 10068 but because he considers it as one of the options in coping with climate change.
Organic farming reduces the vulnerability of the farmers to climate change and variability because it helps improve water holding capacity and makes crops more resistant to drought. Dayao also said that it is important to be organized and updated. Cooperators need to be attuned with the different technologies and be part in crafting the protocol of the techno demo.
Dr. Ellen De los Santos, RTD for Operations and Extension, said that it is important that at the start of the year project implementers must meet and discuss about the salient features of the program in order to effectively and efficiently implement the organic farming project.
In order to implement organic farming, she said it is important to consult and come up with the protocol for the technology demonstration. She also said that the shift to sustainable organic agriculture will slowly help farmers veer away from agro-chemical agriculture. De los Santos also disclosed that a similar activity will be conducted at the provincial level for them to know the strategies and the interventions of the program.
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