La Trinidad, Benguet – Farmers echo the need to strengthen organic agriculture in order to address health issues and land degradation in the region during the 5th Regional Organic Agriculture Congress 2018 cum Farmers Festival and Trade Fair/Exhibit at BAPTC, La Trinidad, Benguet on September 25-27, 2018.
“We were so focused on raising enough volume of food to the point of sacrificing food safety even soil fertility,” Jefferson Laruan, organic farmer, laments that many farmers are relying on the heavy use of chemicals in order to address food security.
June Bayawa, organic farmer, supported him saying that the religious implementation of policies and guidelines for organic agriculture even with the required tedious work will end in the sustainability of farms and the maintenance of the soil structure.
Whereas both farmers realized the importance of organic agriculture after experiencing losses in practicing conventional farming.
The Department of Agriculture-Cordillera and fellow farmers are challenging farmers to produce organic products for in doing so the soil fertility will be boosted and strengthened. The farmers elaborated that the practice of organic agriculture strengthens the land and will prevent consumers and farmers alike from getting illnesses.
While Cameron Odsey, DA regional executive director, said that if the region has its strength it is organic agriculture.
Thus, in order to strengthen organic farming in the region, the department will fortify its programs by devoting an additional 2% of the total agricultural land area to organic farming in every province from 2018 to 2023, providing support through marketing of organic products and be globally competitive, and providing technical and production support to increase volume of organic production, among others.
Based on the local government units of the region’s six provinces, there is a continuous increase in organic agriculture production areas. Last year, the region recorded almost thrice the production area of 2014, from 12,674.18 ha to 47,495.67 ha.
The department aims to continuously promote organic farming through organic agriculture policies, practices, activities and programs for a healthy Cordillera and empower every organic farmer to become a model whose work and deeds are worth emulating towards community development. This is in order to produce safe, healthy and affordable food from the farm to table.**JennyMDayao
