THE Department of Agriculture (DA)-Northern Mindanao is set to conduct its 14th National Organic Agriculture Congress (NOAC) at the Atrium, Limketkai Center, Cagayan de Oro City on October 24 to 26.
"This is the first time wherein the Department of Agriculture Region 10 (Northern Mindanao) will be hosting a national activity for organic agriculture," Carlene Collado, the officer-in-charge-regional director of DA, said, adding that they will be inviting all organic practitioners nationwide.
Collado said they are expecting about 1,600 organic farmer-practitioners, agricultural extensionists, exhibitors, enthusiasts, and other relevant stakeholders of the organic sector in the country to participate in the congress.
Samuel Natindim Jr., DA regional organic focal person, said the congress aims to strengthen the advocacy and promotion of organic agriculture in the Philippines.
The congress also plans to showcase organic products and link them to potential markets, to recognize stakeholders having exemplary performance in the practice of organic agriculture, and to update agriculture stakeholders on recent organic agriculture best practices and technologies.
According to Collado, the National Organic Agriculture Board crafted the National Organic Agriculture Program (NOAP), a program that serves as the guide for the implementation of Organic Agriculture activities under the DA and its implementing units.
Collado also said that in Northern Mindanao, DA has a total budget of P27,154,000 for 2017.
"Ang naa sa organic act (Organic Agriculture Act of 2010), dapat 5 percent of the agricultural area should be planted with organic. From 2012 to 2016, dapat ang tamnan nato is 26,644.47 hectares (has). In 2016, ang existing organic areas is 3,253.77 has. In 2017, nag increase og 10,034.77 has (According to the organic act, 5 percent of the agricultural area should be planted with organic. From 2012 to 2016, 26,644.47 has should be planted [with organic plants]. In 2016, the existing organic areas is 3,253.77 has. In 2017, it increased to 10,034.77 has)," Collado added.
In 2016, 12 percent of the target 5 percent is the existing organic agriculture area while in 2017, it increased to 38 percent of the target 5 percent.
This means to say, Collado said, the organic agriculture has a 26 percent growth from 2016 to 2017.
"It's a proof that na promote nato ang organic agriculture with the assistance of DA," he said, adding that the increase in area is one of the basis that there's also an increase in the awareness in regards with the organic agriculture.
Existing organic agriculture areas in Northern Mindanao are in Misamis Oriental (187 has), Misamis Occidental (7,376 has), Bukidnon (611.17 has), Lanao del Norte (1,820.6), and Camiguin (40 has).
According to DA, the topics to be tackled in the congress include updates on Philippine National Standard and Technical Regulations relevant to organic agriculture, Soil Fertility and Crop Suitability Mapping, National Organic Agriculture Plan, among others.
"While we recognize that organic agriculture has gained ground, the agency is hopeful that it will reach even greater heights with the package of knowledge sharing, skills enhancement and market linkages during the affair," Collado said.