Capitol urged to support organic farmers

CEBU, Philippines — Organic farmers in Cebu are seeking the help of the provincial government to strengthen their advocacy by amending an existing ordinance on organic agriculture.

The Cebu Organic Agriculture Cooperative (COAC) suggested instituting clear and concrete mechanisms that will fully enforce the local ordinance and the Organic Agriculture Act of  2010 or Republic Act 10068.

In a letter addressed to Cebu Provincial Board Member Alex Binghay, chairman of the Committee on Agriculture, COAC president Pedro Bohol enumerated their proposed amendments to Provincial Ordinance No. 2016-06 on organic agriculture.

Bohol said the provincial government should provide legal assistance to legitimate organic agriculture practitioners in curbing violators of RA 10068. He said the province should also appropriate funds for the establishment of trading posts in strategic areas within Cebu, as stipulated under the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of  RA 10068.

He added that these trading posts, locally known as "bagsakan," may be used as incubation centers to assist farmers practicing and advocating organic agriculture. The provincial government was also asked to issue guidelines for accreditation of organic farms, which is provided under RA 10068's IRR.

He said the province should subsidize the cost of the certification paid after inspection of the organic farm. Bohol said the province as well should assist organic farms that may be used as "demonstration" sites that will train other farmers or stakeholders and encourage them to engage in organic agriculture.

He said the assistance may not come in the form of money but in other terms like farm inputs, technology transfer, research and development and similar assistance.

"COAC has been in communication with several similar organizations in the country. We've exchanged notes, shared experiences and discussed various proposals on how to encourage and enhance organic agriculture in the province. This is what motivates us to submit these proposals," Bohol relays to Binghay.

COAC and other organic agriculture advocates are now reaching out to local officials to push for their campaign.

For them, organic agriculture is more profitable and sustainable than those farms that use harmful materials like synthetic fertilizers and pesticides. —/FPL (FREEMAN)