Organic agriculture key to food production

The Department of Agriculture recognizes organic agriculture as a key element in enhancing food production in the country and protecting the country’s natural resources.

During the 8th Organic Agriculture Month this week, DA Undersecretary for Special Concerns and for the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao Zamzamin Ampatuan emphasized the need to solidify this status by boosting the DA’s support for organic agriculture in the country.

Ampatuan emphasized the need to solidify this status by boosting the DA’s support for organic agriculture in the country, with the Philippines earning international fame in the field of organic agriculture.

He recommended allotting P2 billion out of the P10 billion Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund for organic rice production, P1 billion from the National Corn Program for organic corn and livestock feeds production and P1 billion from the High-Value Crops Development Program for organic vegetable production.

He also stated that the Philippine fisheries subsector would benefit from the continuous manufacturing of organic fish feeds.

Advantages of organic fertilizers

For her part, Senator Cynthia Villar discussed her own experiences as a proponent and practitioner of organic agriculture, with a particular emphasis on the advantages of empowering local communities to make their own organic fertilizers.

Villar, who serves as the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Food, and Agrarian Reform chairperson, shared they have a total of 67 composting facilities have been established in the City of Las Piñas.

According to Villar, the city generates less waste and saves millions of pesos every year as the facilities produce more than 800 tons of organic fertilizer.

She then encouraged the DA — Bureau of Soils and Water Management to scale up the distribution of composting facilities throughout the country to help ease the financial burdens of small-scale farmers, preserve soil fertility, and protect the environment from the impacts of chemical fertilizers.

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