LA TRINIDAD, Benguet, (PIA) – – Farmers in the province are urged to adhere to Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) and organic agriculture for their vegetable produce to be competitive.
Governor Crescencio Pacalso said the only way for their vegetable produce to be competitive and to be accepted not only locally but in other countries is to be GAP- certified and organically produced.
Lolita Bentres of the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist said based on 2017 data, there are a total of 120,000 farmers in the province but only 16 of them are GAP- certified . 163 individuals and groups are certified as organic by the Organic Certification Center of the Philippines (OCCP), the certifying body of organic agriculture.
There are 28 groups or individuals who are GAP- compliant but are not yet endorsed pending final inspection , OPAG records show.
GAP is more encouraged as there is no conversion involved from conventional to good practice while organic agriculture takes around three years to convert from conventional to organic system to give a period where organic practices are applied progressively.
Meanwhile, Pacalso informed that around 300 farmers are expected to join the 3rd Benguet Farmers Congress with the theme, “Empowering and Sustaining the Benguet Farmers’ Organizations Amidst Global Changes”.
Set on April 11-12 at the Multipurpose Gym at the Benguet Sports Complex in Wangal, this aims to enhance the knowledge and awareness of farmers and to keep them abreast of the latest technologies and innovations in agriculture.
Among the topics to be discussed are Updates on the Katipunan ng Maka Kalikasang Magsasaka ng Benguet ; Present trends and situation of the High Value Crops Development Program and its Interventions by; Present Status, Updates and Operation of the Benguet Agri-Pinoy Trading Center (BAPTC); Updates on the Agricultural Credit Policy Council; The School to Agriculture Program of the Land Bank of the Philippines and Updates of the Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation and Financial Literacy.
President of the Itogon Municipal P4MP or the Pambansang Mannalon Magsasaka Magbabaul Mag-uuma ng Pilipinas will also do a sharing of technology/learnings.**By Susan C. Aro
