AN INDUSTRY leader in Asia lauded Negros Occidental for its strong initiatives on natural farming practice.
Dr. Zhou Zejiang, president of the Asia Federation of Organic Agriculture Movement, who was the keynote speaker at the opening of the four-day 12th Negros Island Organic Farmers Festival Wednesday at the Capitol grounds, was upbeat on the province’s hosting of the organic farming event.
“I believe it is the longest farmers festival in the world,” he said, adding that the province is “very much transparent and very much integrated” to organic agriculture.
Zejiang said the organic movement has come to its third stage, which is called “Organic 3.0.”
He explained that there are six characteristics in this stage. These are innovation, best practices, value chain, transparency and integration, inclusiveness, true value and real pricing.
Zejiang said the province’s organic festival is “a place to show the world that Asia organic is coming to the stage and that we’re leading the world and not behind.”
“We’re not following the Americans and Europeans. We're now leading the world,” he added.
He said the development is “meaningful” because it only indicates that the organic movement is “moving.”
‘Intensify organic movement’
To further boost organic agriculture, the Department of Agriculture (DA) is stepping up efforts to intensify the organic movement in Negros.
Agriculture Undersecretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat, who also spoke at the festival opening rites, said among the agency's measures are the provision of rice processing mill and organic trading post projects.
Romulo-Puyat said the DA has been pushing for the establishment of “TienDA,” where organic farmers, especially small ones, are given the opportunity to earn more without paying for spaces and allocating share to middlemen.
After the opening at the Bureau of Plant and Industry grounds in Manila in July, the agriculture department will launch “TienDA” outlet in Cebu City on Saturday.
“There is a market for organic worldwide. Everybody wants organic now, they want healthy living,” Romulo-Puyat said, adding that “it is our continuous goal to increase local organic farmers.”
Citing data from the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (Ifoam), the DA official said the Philippines currently ranks fifth in terms of number of producers in the world.
In terms of area, the country is number four in Asia “which is actually big from only 14,140 hectares in 2006, it increased to 79,992 hectares in 2010 during the passage of the National Organic Agriculture Act.”
“Right now, we have 234,642 hectares and still growing,” Romulo-Puyat said, adding that Negros Occidental has been a leader in organic agriculture since 2005.
A lot of people come to Negros for benchmarking at they saw the best practices here, she said.
Governor Alfredo Marañon Jr. said Negros Island has at least 20 percent annual growth in terms of area devoted to organic agriculture.
Marañon said that amid the increase in supply, the demand still grows.
“The demand is growing but the supply can't catch up thus, we have to double time in our organic movement,” he added.
The governor said that aside from earning higher income, the festival will surely equip local farmers to work together in improving their production.
He reiterated that “organic is the way of the future and one measure to address climate change.”
Themed “Go Organic for Health and Prosperity,” the four-day event gathers industry stakeholders including farmers and producers, exhibitors, representatives from academe and consumers in Negros Island and other provinces in the country.
Aside from exhibitions of organic products and by-products, the festival also showcases of sustainable innovations and technologies practiced by different farmer-producers and advocates.
Lectures and sessions on various organic agriculture topics will also be given by international and local speakers. (with reports from Erwin P. Nicavera)