Gov’t push needed for Philippine farms to go organic – group

AUGUST 10, 2009

MORE and more farmers are convinced of the economic benefits of going organic but the government needs to be more aggressive in promoting such sustainable agricultural practices for farms in the Philippines to go organic, organic farming advocates said.

“If we really want farmers to shift to organic farming, we need to give them the assurance that the government will support them all the way,” Atty. Efren Moncupa, lead convenor of Go Organic! Philippines said.

Moncupa, a former agrarian reform undersecretary, said after the successful implementation of the Organic FIELDS Support Program (OFSP) Phase 1, more and more farmers have decided to adopt an organic way of life, by producing their own fertilizer and pesticides.

OFSP, a project of the Department of Agriculture (DA) and the Bureau of Soils and Water Management (BSWM) aims to promote organic farming in the Philippines.

Through the project, which was launched by Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap in November last year, 600 farmers in six provinces in Luzon namely Albay, Camarines Sur, Oriental Mindoro, Nueva Ecija, Bataan and Pangasinan were trained on various organic farming systems and technologies in preparation for the immediate conversion of 400,000 hectares of agricultural land into organic farming sites by 2010.

Phase 2 of the project is currently in the pipeline.

Moncupa said despite the farmers’ newly-acquired technical know-hows in organic farming, those who want to go organic still lack the capacity to do so.  Farmers, he said, can not adequately produce organic fertilizer they need for their farms because they have no equipment to use, particularly for the production of organic fertilizers.

Among the equipment farmers will need to produce their own organic fertilizer are shredding machine to produce biomass, a makeshift oven for the production of carbonized rice hull.

“How can farmers put to practice what they have learned from their training if they do not have the equipment they need?” Moncupa said.

The farmers who completed the training early this year, Moncupa said, are eager to teach other farmers what they have learned for them to adopt or shift to organic farming.  The problem, he said, is the continuity of support provided by government.

Go Organic! Philippines, a consortium of nongovernment organizations that promote organic farming is eying an expanded coverage of the project to hit the DA’s own target, which is to cover 400,000 hectares of land by the end of 2010.

The group believes that organic farming will help farmers cope with the current global economic crisis and impacts of climate change and will help address the country’s food security.

“By going organic, more and farmers who have previously abandoned their farms because of the high cost of doing business will find farming profitable.  With more farmers planting rice, crops and vegetables, agricultural production will increase, which means more food for the people,” Moncupa said.

“The reason for slow rate of adoption of organic farming is the lack of continuous government support,” Moncupa lamented. (Go Organic! Philippines)

Organic farming to combat global warming, climate change pushed

JULY 17, 2009

ADVOCATES of organic farming are pitching calls for the shift to organic farming to combat global warming and climate change as the group pushes for climate justice in time for the 15^th Conference of Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in Copenhagen, Denmark in December 2009.

Isagani Serrano, acting president of the Philippine Rural Reconstruction Movement (PRRM) and a convenor of Go Organic! Philippines said delegates to the UN meeting must not only demand for developed countries to agree to deeply cut their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions but to change the way they do things to reduce their carbon footprint, particularly in agriculture.

Serrano said excessive use of chemical fertilizers in farms contributes to global warming and climate change.  By shifting from conventional farming to organic farming, GHG emissions will be lessened and help fight the adverse effects of climate change.

He said organic farming helps stabilize the climate by reducing GHG emissions as it makes use of organic fertilizer, thus helping farmers veer away from excessive use of often harmful chemical fertilizers and pesticides that pollute the air, soil and water.

Chemical based agriculture, which accounts for 33 percent of GHG being emitted into the atmosphere, is being blamed for global warming but will not probably be taken up in the meeting as it will focus more on reducing GHG brought about by industrialization such as the use of coal, fuel and oil.

Serrano, in an interview over Go Organic! Radio Program aired over DZRB “Radyo ng Bayan” said it is important that developing countries like the Philippines to insist on developed countries to pay up under the principle of shared but differentiated responsibility.

He said developed countries should have bigger responsibilities than developing countries like the Philippines, which is worst affected by extreme weather events such as super typhoon, sea level rise, flashflood and even drought, as far as global warming is in concerned and thus, should pay up more by making deep cuts in their GHG emissions as “deep as it can get.”

The Philippines, he said, is contributing to climate change mitigation by shifting to organic farming.  “This also helps make our farms more resilient to climate change,” he said, adding that organic farming promotes better health and safer environment in the process.

He insisted that the Philippines and other developing countries should firmly push for deep cuts in GHG among industrialized countries to ensure climate justice. (Go Organic! Philippines)

‘Public markets must start organic-produce section’

JUNE 29, 2009

WITH a growing number of health-conscious Filipinos going for “healthier” food free of toxic chemicals, it’s about time public markets have their own section on “organic” produce.

Efren Moncupa, lead convenor of Go Organic! Philippines, a consortium of nongovernment organizations advocating organic farming in the Philippines, said even some grocery stores now have a section for organic rice, fruits and vegetables.

Some restaurants, he added, now have a menu for organic food for health-conscious customers.

“Filipino consumers are becoming more conscious of their health, particularly on the food they eat. The problem is they don’t know where to buy organic food. Public markets should have an organic section where organically grown produce, such as rice, fruits and vegetables, can be accessed,” he said.

Go Organic! Philippines promotes organic farming and is taking the lead in implementing the Organic Fields Support Program of the Department of Agriculture and the Bureau of Soils and Water Management.

Phase 1 of the project, launched by Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap last November, ended in April. Phase 2 of the project is currently in the pipeline.

“Local government units [LGUs] should similarly put up an organic-food section in the market, where organically grown products can be bought. It is also ideal that LGUs put up a bagsakan center for organically grown agricultural products, as well as byproducts, in support of the growing organic industry,” said Moncupa, a former agrarian-reform undersecretary and is now with the Malasimbu Agricultural Cooperative.

Officials of Alaminos City, Pangasinan, and Samal, Bataan, have initiated the move to turn their towns into organic zones. Aside from promoting organic farming among farmers, Alaminos City Mayor Hernani Braganza had ordered the administrator of the public market in the city to put up an organic section.

He said one way of promoting organic farming is to institutionalize support such as access for consumers and organic-food producers.

Mayor Rolando Tigas of Samal, who wants the entire town to go organic, is spearheading the move to convince farmers to shift from conventional to the more sustainable organic farming to boost their income.

Tigas has asked members of the Municipal Council to pass several resolutions in support of organic farming, including declaring the municipality an organic zone and one day a week as organic farming day, and a portion of the Samal public market a wholesale section for organic products.

Learning about ‘organic’ on air

JUNE 27, 2009

FARMERS, consumers, students and practically “people in all walks of life” will now be given opportunity to learn more about “organic” on air through Season 2 of the Go Organic! Radio Program.

Produced by the La Liga Policy Institute (La Liga) for Go Organic! Philippines, the program entitled “Go Organic!” will continue to go on air on DZRB “Radyo ng Bayan” every Sunday from 8:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.

“Because of the success of the program, we decided to continue airing for another season,” Roland Cabigas, Managing Director of La Liga said.

La Liga is a member of Go Organic! Philippines, a consortium of nongovernment organizations that aggressively promotes organic farming in the Philippine and is behind the successful implementation of the Quad Media-IEC Component of the Organic FIELDS Support Program – Phase 1 (OFSP1) that ended last April.

He said this season, listeners can now directly ask question and will be answered live by experts through “Walastik Organik” the hip and practical farmer-cartoon character, who provide useful tips on organic farming to the farmer-practitioners.

Before, “Walastik Organic” answer live questions from listeners via the Go Organic! Philippines infotext hotline.

“We decided to make the segment more interactive.  Now, listeners can ask question and will be answered live,” Cabigas said.

The program will continue feature “Kwentuhang Organik” where farmer-practitioners, LGUs and businesses on organic agriculture will be invited as guest to share their success stories during a 10-minute question-and-answer segment.

The radio program will also highlight success stories from farmers, business establishments and LGUs, as well as provide consumers with information on where to buy organic products, recipes using organic products and handy tips on going organic, Cabigas said.

“This radio program is part of our on-going partnership project with the Department of Agriculture, Phase 1 of the Organic FIELDS Support Program. We hope that by using Quad-media, print, internet, TV and radio, we can reach out and help people from various sectors who want to make that important first step to Go Organic!”

Gov’t urged to step up organic agri program amid new round of oil price hike

JUNE 20, 2009

ORGANIC farming advocates on Thursday called on the government to step up the implementation of its organic agriculture program to help farmers cope with the impact of the successive oil price hikes this month.

Lawyer Atty. Efren Moncupa, lead convenor of Go Organic! Philippines, a consortium of organic farming advocates that aggressively promotes organic farming in the Philippines, said the oil price hikes imposed by oil companies this month will impact on all sectors, but will hit harder on the agriculture sector particularly farmers who remain ‘hooked’ to using chemical fertilizers.

“The domino effect of this oil price hike will hit the poorest of the poor – particularly farmers who will be burdened by increases in the price of basic commodities,” he said.

He expressed alarm over reports that this month’s oil price hikes is just the beginning.

Quoting Fernando Martinez, chairman of the Independent Philippine Petroleum Companies Association, who warned that consumers should expect more rate increases should prices at the Mean of Platts Singapore (MOPS), the pricing benchmark used by local oil firms, continue to go up.

“If the MOPS will continue to go on a higher level for the remaining days of the week—it has already $79 per barrel—then you can expect further increases,” Martinez was quoted as saying.

Moncupa said because of the recent oil price hike, other costs of living or necessities, such as transportation, health, housing, and education are expected to go sky high.

Worse, he said the oil price hikes are likely to trigger another round of increase in the price of chemical fertilizers, which will add burden to the already burdened farmers who are still hooked to conventional farming.

“Farmers have long been complaining of having nothing to eat only a week or two after harvests.  Ironically, they are the ones producing food for the Filipinos,” he said.

The government needs to fast track the implementation of its organic agriculture programs to help farmers survive the global fiscal and economic crisis, he said.

He warned that any increase in the price of chemical fertilizers, which now costs around P1,200 to P1,500 will also have an adverse effect to the country’s annual food production.   Farmers who have no capital, he said, will have no other choice but to leave their farms and look for other source of income,” he said.

However, Moncupa said farmers will have a better option through its organic agriculture program, particularly the ones that will strengthen the farmers’ individual and collective capacity to shift to organic farming.

The Organic FIELDS Support Program Phase 1 launched in November 2008 by no less than Agriculture Secretary Arthur C. Yap officially ended in May.  A partnership project between the Department of Agriculture, Bureau of Soils and Water Management and the Go Organic! Philippines, OFSP1 enabled farmers in six provinces in Luzon, namely Albay, Camarines Sur, Oriental Mindoro, Nueva Ecija, Bataan and Pangasinan to shift to organic farming.

The successful implementation of the project, which provided for the right program and broad based support from local government units and the different sectors did only half of the job.  “Much more needs to be done,” he said.

Moncupa said Phase 2 of the program will enable the proponents of OFSP to contribute to the DA’s target of covering 400,000 hectares of agricultural land for organic production of rice, vegetables, crops and livestock by 2010.

“This is the time for the government to fast track its programs that will promote sustainable agriculture in the Philippines to help farmers and consumers cope with the crisis,” he said.

Group lauds DA, Yap’s organic agriculture program

JUNE 15, 2009

ORGANIC farming advocates on Monday lauded the Department of Agriculture led by Secretary Arthur C. Yap for taking the lead in promoting sustainable agriculture through the shift to organic farming in the Philippines.

Lawyer Atty. Efren Moncupa, lead convenor of Go Organic! Philippines, in particular lauded Yap for asking farmers to adopt the DA’s organic agriculture programs.

“This is precisely what we want the DA Secretary Arthur C. Yap to do.  By personally taking the lead in promoting organic farming,” Moncupa said.

He was referring to newspaper report quoting Yap as he called on farmers to shift to organic farming and veer away from excessive use of often harmful chemical fertilizers.

Go Organic! Philippines, a consortium of nongovernment organizations led by the Philippine Rural Reconstruction Movement (PRRM) and the La Liga Policy Institute (LLPI), is aggressively promoting organic farming in the Philippines.

Go Organic! Philippines was DA’s partner in implementing Phase 1 of the Organic FIELDS Support Program (OFSP) which ran from November last year until April 2009.  OFSP stands for Fertilizer, Irrigation and other rural infrastructure like farm-to-market roads, Education and extension work, Loans, Dryers and other post-harvest facilities, and Seeds and is the DA’s main thrust to achieve the country’s rice self-sufficiency target.

Under OFSP1, 600 farmers in six provinces in Luzon namely Oriental Mindoro, Albay, Camarines Sur, Nueva Ecija, Bataan and Pangasinan, were trained on various organic farming systems and technologies in preparation for the massive conversion of conventional farms into organic farm sites.

The DA is eyeing to cover 400,000 hectares of agricultural land by 2010 and is preparing for the implementation of OFSP Phase 2.  Through the program, local government units in the said pilot areas have committed to support the DA’s organic farming program.  A memorandum of agreement between the local chief executives of the said towns and the DA was signed to ensure institutional support to organic farming on the part of the LGUs.

The effective information campaign launched by La Liga Policy Institute (LLPI) as DA’s partner in implementing the Quad Media Information, Education and Communication (QUAD IEC) program popularized organic farming in the Philippines and generated a broad based support, particularly from farmers and consumers.

In the report, Yap was quoted as promising to continue the DA’s program on organic farming in partnership with various nongovernment organizations (NGOs) and called on farmers to adopt the DA’s organic agriculture program to ensure profitable food production, protect the environment and guarantee the sustainability of the country’s land resources.

In calling for the shift to organic farming, Yap had expressed his concern over the “reckless use of the country’s natural resources and overdependence on chemical-based pesticides and fertilizers” which are being blamed for the environmental damage it has caused to soil, water and air.

Moncupa, a former agrarian reform undersecretary, echoed Yap’s concern that excessive use of chemical fertilizer only makes the country’s soil unproductive.

“The more we use chemical fertilizers on our soil, the more our soil becomes helplessly dependent on these toxic substances that pollute our soil, our water and our air,” Moncupa said.

Isagani Serrano, acting president of PRRM, said the Philippines is racing against time in the fight against global warming and climate change.

Also a convenor of Go Organic! Philippines, Serrano aid farmers and consumers can help substantially reduce the country’s carbon footprint and lead in the global campaign for climate change mitigation and adaptation by simply using organic fertilizer which will help farmers break the chain from chemical fertilizers.

“More than 30 percent of the greenhouse gas that goes into the atmosphere comes from agriculture – because of the excessive use of chemical inputs in our farms.  By going organic, we can reduce greenhouse gas emission and help save the world,” he said

Roland Cabigas, Managing Director of LLPI and a convenor of Go Organic! Philippines said through organic farming, farmers and consumers will benefit not only in terms of increased income, but in terms of health and environment, as well, saying by using organic fertilizer, farmers are actually allowing nature to cure itself, allowing soil nutrients to regenerate and become productive once more.

“Organic farming produces healthy food and healthy environment,” he said.

Book on organic farming launched

MAY 11, 2009

A book compiling the best practices on sustainable agriculture, particularly palay, was recently launched to help farmers shift from chemical-based agriculture to the more sustainable organic farming.

The book “Likas-Kaya at Organikong Pagsasaka ng Palay” authored by Dr. Oscar B. Zamora, dean of the Graduate School of the University of the Philippines – Los Baños and a professor of the UP Los Baños College of Agriculture based in Laguna is primarily designed for farmers.

Written in Filipino, the book’s features 15 chapters, which serves as a “step-by-step” guide to the practice of organic farming systems and technologies, including organic fertilizer production, which the farmers can apply to help them convert their farm into a purely organic farm site.  The 196-page book also features colorful pictures and illustrations.

“This will help farmers veer away from agrochemical-based farming and shift back to organic farming,” he said during a brief speech at the book launch which highlighted the Organic 101: Experiencing the Organic Way of Life event.

Organized by the Go Organic! Philippines led by Philippine Rural Reconstruction Movement (PRRM) and the La Liga Policy Institute (LLPI) in Quezon City last Friday, the whole-day event held at the PRRM Building featured various organically-grown agricultural products and byproducts, as well as alternative health and healing practices.

A consortium of nongovernment organizations, Go Organic! Philippines is now aggressively promoting organic farming in the Philippines and is currently taking the lead in implementing the Organic FIELDS Support Program Phase 1, a partnership project of the Department of Agriculture (DA) and the Bureau of Soils and Water Management (BSWM).

The book was among the reference materials used in the Farmers’ Season-Long Training, one of the three major components of the OFSP1.

The book is a compilation of some of the best practices in organic farming.  Some have been the practice of farmers for more than two decades and was validated by experts from UPLB, Zamora, an organic farming advocate, said.

Copies of the book are available at the La Liga Office with contact number 433-7875 and can be downloaded from the Go Organic! Philippines website – www.goorganicphilippines.org.

Campaign to go organic gets boost Smart, I-Con turn greener through ‘change in lifestyle’

APRIL 24, 2009

THE campaign to go organic is getting the much needed boost as companies with so-called green initiatives take the lead in campaigning for a change in lifestyle among its employees.

Smart Communications, Inc. and its contact center partner, I-Contacts Corporation teamed up to launch “Green Icon” as part of its Earth Day 2009 Celebration at the company’s satellite office along Quezon Avenue in Quezon City.

A film production entitled “Handa na ba tayo sa pagbabago?  Panahon na! “Ang Pinoy at ang Hamon ng Climate Change” was featured during one-day event, which was also highlighted by an exhibit at the “Green Bazaar” which features green products and initiatives of Smart’s various partner-institutions.

A booth put up by I-Con to collect bottled containers of water and soda cans.  For every three bottle containers presented by its employees, they get a premium item such as Smart cap, to encourage employees to recycle, reuse, and reduce waste.

Go Organic! Philippines, a consortium of nongovernment organizations and organic farming advocates led by the Philippine Rural Reconstruction Movement (PRRM) and La Liga Policy Institute (LLPI) was invited to join the “Green Icon” to promote its various eco-friendly products and initiatives.

Roland Cabigas, Managing Director of LLPI and a convenor of Go Organic! Philippines commended Smart and Icon for joining the go organic bandwagon and taking the lead in calling for a change in lifestyle among its employees.

“Our campaign to go organic doesn’t stop in the farms.  Consumers will play a very important role in making our campaign to promote organic farming a success by simply buying organically-grown products,” Cabigas said.

Cabigas said other companies should emulate Smart’s green initiative and join the organic bandwagon by simply campaigning for a change in lifestyle among its employees, which will, in effect help boost farmers’ income.

Meanwhile, the invitation to Go Organic! Philippines, Cabigas said, is an offshoot of its effective implementation of the Quad Media Information Education and Communication (Quad IEC) campaign which is being carried out by LLPI.

Go Organic! Philippines recently took part in the 5^th holding of the Eco-Products International Fair (EPIF 2009) and promoted the country’s indigenous rice varieties, which are uniquely different, because of their color – red, brown, pink, violet, white, and its cancer-fighting Obama rice or black rice.

During the Green Icon program, Mirriam Chico, Creative and Events Management team leader of I-con said the program specifically aims to raise awareness among its employees about the urgent need to turn green to help fight global warming and climate change.

With the theme “Its I-Con Choice to Go Green”, the activity aims to convince its 2,000 employees, particularly those assigned at Smart’s contact center, to support environment-friendly initiatives, such as organic farming which produces agri-cultural products without those often harmful chemical fertilizer and pesticide, starting with a change in lifestyle.

“Call center agents or employees are exposed to health risks.  That’s why as part of our campaign to help save Mother Earth, we are calling for a change in lifestyle among our employees, such as by eating healthier food that are free from harmful chemicals,” she said.

‘Organic farming will make rice cheaper’

March 15, 2009

WHILE saying organically-produced agricultural products and byproducts command higher price, the price of rice, the country’s staple food, may eventually go down with farmers benefiting from lower production cost as they start to produce their own organic fertilizer.

In an interview during the “Go Organic!” TV program on NBN 4 Lawyer Efren Moncupa, lead convenor of Go Organic! Philippines said the price of organically-produced agriculture products should be lower than those produced using inorganic fertilizer.

Moncupa, a former agrarian reform undersecretary, reiterated his appeal to lawmakers to prioritize bills that promotes organic farming in the Philippines, which he said will be both beneficial to farmers and consumers.

While saying that once measures that actually promote organic farming, such as the establishment of a government regulatory body that will issue organic certification, is passed into law, the Philippines will be able to penetrate the global organic food market, such as the supply of organic rice.

He noted that some grocery stores have already put up an organic section where organically-grown produce, such as rice, but the price is relatively higher compared to others.

“The price of organically-grown produce should be lower because the production cost is much lower,” Moncupa said.

Farmer-leader Jaime “Ka Jimmy” Tadeo of Paragos-Pilipinas echoes Moncupa’s sentiment.

“Since production cost is lower, the price of rice should be cheaper,” Tadeo, the spokesperson of Go Organic! Philippines said.

The commercial price of organic fertilizer is P250 to P350 per 50-kilo bag compared to the price of inorganic fertilizer currently pegged at P1,500 to P2,000 per 50-kilo bag.  A one-hectare rice farm requires around eight to 10 bags of inorganic fertilizer.  On the other hand, the organic fertilizer requirement during the first year of transition is at 60 bags and diminishes to as low as 30 bags once soil fertility is restored.

“If the farmers produce their own organic fertilizers the cost is even cheaper.  Lower cost of organic fertilizer inputs, means production cost is much lower.  Eventually, farmers will be able to sell their produce at a lower price,” Tadeo said.

Go Organic! Philippines, a consortium of nongovernment organizations led by the Philippine Rural Reconstruction Movement (PRRM) and the La Liga Policy Institute (LLPI), is taking the lead in implementing Phase I of the Organic FIELDS Support Program (OFSP).

This is in preparation for the immediate conversion of 10 percent of the 1.9 million hectares rice fields into organic farm sites.

The program promotes sustainable agriculture through organic farming in the Philippines, particularly rice, which is now considered the government’s key strategy to achieve rice self-sufficiency target.

Director Vince Tejada of the Bureau of Soils and Water Management (BSWM) said more farmers in different parts of the country will benefit from the program.

Tejada said the program will continue, expanding in areas not previously covered. He revealed that a team from the BSWM is now in the process of evaluating the implementation of the project.

Asked about the program’s implementation, Tejada said:  “Ayos naman.  Napakaganda at masaya ang ating magsasaka dahil ngayon lang nila nalaman na kaya nilang i- implement ang organic farming sa kanilang lugar,” Tejada said.

The BSWM monitoring team visited the organic demonstration farms in the six pilot areas in Bataan, Nueva Ecija, Pangasinan, Albay, Camarines Sur, and Mindoro recently and is expected to submit its report and recommendation.

100 Bataan farmers say no to chemical, yes to organic fertilizer

April 18, 2009

CONVINCED by the economic viability of going organic, 100 farmers from Samal and Dinalupihan, Bataan vowed to shift to organic farming boosting government effort to massive convert conventional farms into organic farm sites.

The farmers, who bonded together to form the Samalenyo Organiko in Samal and Organisaka Dinalupihan, made their commitment during the Farmers’ Field Day in Bataan last Saturday.

The Farmers’ Field Day held in Dinalupihan, Bataan is one of the highlights and the culmination of the Farmers’ Season-Long Training, one of the components of the Organic FIELDS Support Program Phase 1 (OFSP1), a partnership project with the Department of Agriculture (DA) led by Secretary Arthur Yap through the Bureau of Soils and Water Management (BSWM).

The farmers who received their certificate of completion for the training, harvested 1,500 sq. m of palay from the ‘balanced fertilization’ learning-demo farm in Dinalupihan, Bataan.

Representatives from the DA and the BSWM, along with proponents of Go Organic! Philippines, which is implementing the OFSP1, witnessed the harvest.

Laywer Atty. Efren Moncupa, lead convenor of Go Organic! Philippines who hails in Barangay Pagalanggang, Dinalupihan, Bataan said organic farming is beneficial to farmers not only in terms of increased income, but health and environment, as well.

“Organic farming is not an easy way out of poverty, but it will definitely boost farmers’ income and benefit not only farmers, but the consumers who will finally enjoy eating chemical-free food and enjoy living in a less-polluted environment,” he said.

Nomer Palad, Vice President of Samalenyong Organiko said organic farming offers a lasting solution to the problem brought about by the skyrocketing cost of petrochemical-based fertilizers, which now costs around P1,000 to P1,200 per 50-kilo bag.  In conventional farming, farmers need to buy at least eight to 10 bags to produce 5.5 metric tons of palay.

“Using organic fertilizer, we can lower production cost without necessarily cutting down our yield.  It is difficult at first but we learned the virtue of hard work during the training and it really pays off,” he said.

For his part, Pedro Malit, President of Organisaka Dinalupihan said by veering away from excessive agrochemical inputs in their farm, farmers can be assured that their unproductive farmland will become productive once more, as organic fertilizer regenerates essential soil nutrients needed by the plant to grow.

“In organic farming, we can actually help protect the environment because organic fertilizer doesn’t cause pollution like the way chemical fertilizers do.  It even promotes sustainable agriculture because farmers can produce their own organic fertilizer.  We don’t have do borrow money to buy those chemical fertilizer,” he said.

The OFSP1 is being implemented by the Go Organic! Philipines, a consortium of nongovernment organizations led by the Philippine Rural Reconstruction Movement (PRRM) and La Liga Policy Institute (LLPI), to promote organic farming in the Philippines.

A major component of the program is to train 600 farmers in six pilot towns and cities in Luzon which include Samal and Dinalupihan in preparation for the massive conversion of rice fields into organic farm sites.  The DA is targeting to convert 400,000 hectares into organic farm sites by 2010.

A total of 100 farmers completed the training, some of who have vowed to go organic next cropping season, saying using organic fertilizer which they can produce from materials found in their farms such animal manure, rice straw and carbonized rice hull, is a lot better than chemical fertilizer, which costs around P1,000 per 50-kilo bag.

During their training which started last December 21, 2009, the farmers learned various organic farming systems and technologies including organic fertilizer production using raw materials found in their farm such as rice straw and rice hull, animal manure and other agricultural waste using bokashi, a Japanese term for compost, which they used in the one-hectare demo farms in Samal, and Dinalupihan, Bataan.