SOME 100 farmers from different villages in the City of San Fernando recently completed their training on organic vegetable and rice production under the Farmer Field School.

For the organic vegetable production, Engr. Francisco Cangco, City Agriculture and Veterinary Office agriculturist, explained that the project is in compliance with City Ordinance No. 2012-011, which aims to promote and strengthen organic agriculture in the city.

“We have an ordinance here in the city where we are supposed to introduce organic agriculture. Organic agriculture is safe because we do not use any chemicals,” Cangco, also Crop Division chief, said.

Meanwhile, for the training on rice production, Cangco stated that they followed the “PalayCheck System,” which is a program of the Department of Agriculture.

“On the rice production training on the 'PalayCheck System,' we introduced 10 varieties of hybrid rice to the farmers for them to distinguish the different varieties in their respective barangays that they can plant,” Cangco added.

For his part, Mayor Edwin Santiago urged Fernandinos to become part in strengthening agriculture in the city.

“Without agriculture, how can we have food? Agriculture is our life and we rely on agriculture every single day. That's why the city is doing this kind of program to support our farmers,” Santiago said. (Nicole Renee David)