National Organic Agriculture Board (NOAB) Director Jerry Dionson, who is from Negros Occidental, is pushing for a longer validity period of organic certification in the country.
Dionson, who sits in the Board's regulation committee, told SunStar Bacolod that he moved for the amendment of the implementing rules and regulation (IRR) of Organic Agriculture Act 2010, particularly on extending the certification validity from one to five years.
Dionson said this move is already supported by a Department Circular and up for approval of Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol and later on by the Congress.
“The current duration period of the certification of one year is so short. It is disadvantageous especially for farmers with long harvest period crops as they need to re-apply every year,” he said, adding that “five-year validity is better provided there will be an annual audit.”
A multi-awarded farmer from Bago City, Dionson was chosen to represent in the NOAB small farmers in the Visayas starting last year.
Another move which he is currently initiating is the “revision” of the guidelines on availing certification assistance for organic farmers.
Dionson said the Board previously approved a resolution providing certification assistance to farmers, however, it should be availed within three consecutive years.
“Farmers should avail the assistance for three years whether consecutive or not,” he said, adding that if ever there are “technicalities” this year especially on the auditing aspect of the certification “farmers should still be entitled to avail in other years upon complying with the requirements.”
The NOAB director expressed optimism that these initiatives will be realized this year.
Though Senate committee on agriculture chair Cynthia Villar is already amenable to it, Dionson said it still needs to pass through Piñol and ANAC IP Representative Jose Panganiban, chairman committee on agriculture and food of the House of Representatives.
“By extending the validity of the certification and improving the guidelines on the provision of assistance, we hope to encourage more farmers to go into organic farming resulting in the stronger agriculture sector in the country including Negros Occidental,” he added.
Earlier, the Negrense farmer stressed the need to also push for the implementation of the Participatory Guarantee System (PGS) in order to help small organic farmers become certified.
"PGS will provide small farmers more access to organic certification services of the government, which are vital in boosting local products through acquiring better market positions," he had said.