National Organic Agriculture Conference Slated in Naga City

Naga City -  Some  300 organic farming practitioners, advocates and enthusiasts  will  gather on October 13 to 15 for the  6^th national Organic Conference  at the Villa Caceres Hotel in this city  to discuss   current and emerging  issues  confronting the sector    to collectively  address these challenges ; and to promote  their products and services  to the public and potential clients and link up with   other  sectors  and institutions towards creating a more vibrant sector.

The three-day event will feature plenary sessions focusing on the major  theme: "Sustaining  the Gains of Organic Agriculture: Enhancing Biodiversity, Providing Safe and Adequate Food".  There will also be trade  exhibit booths  and  on the third day   visit to organic farms and  related institutions  will be conducted.

One of the highlights of the event will be the  awarding ceremony for  the  Secretary's Award for  Outstanding Organic Agriculture  Initiative  The winning LGU will receive  a cash prize of P100,00 plus a project fund support  worth P200,000; the outstanding certified  organic  farm to receive P75,000 and for  the outstanding  individual   organic agriculture advocate  a cash prize of P50,000. To cap the event a general conference resolution will be drafted  and  signed by all participants  for the  next annual national organic conference to consider.

Agriculture secretary  Arthur C. Yap has been  invited  to give the keynote address and  DA undersecretary  for special concerns  Bernadette  Romulo-Puyat  and GMA High Value Crops  national coordinator  Dr. Rene Rafael C. Espino to grace the occasion.

Topics to be discussed during the conference are: "Organic Agriculture Challenges: Then, Now and Tomorrow" to be discussed by   Director Gilberto F. Layese  of the Bureau of Agriculture  and Fisheries Product Standards;  "Sustainable Agriculture  Responds to Climate Change and Disaster" by Fr. Francis Lucas, chairman  of  Asian NGO Coalition (ANGOC);  "PCARRD'S S & T  Based  Farms on Organic Agriculture" by Dr. Rodolfo Ilao, acting director, ARMRD-PCARRD;  "Paving Market Opportunities for Organic  Products"  by Jerry Pacturan, director of Phil. Dev't. Assistance Program (PDAD);  "OPTA Experience" by Mara de Tavera, president, Organic Producers & Trade Association (OPTA);  "Organic Certification and Introduction to Trade Fair" by Leilani Limpin, director,  Organic Certification Center of the Philippines (OCPC).

Initiatives for Organic Agriculture   Promotion  will be  shared by  Congressman  Proceso  Alcala  of Quezon province;  Armi Genia Benedicto  of the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist, Negros Occidental; Mayor Romulo Solivio of Surallah, Cotabato;   Fr. Ian Trillanes of  Prelature Libmanan Dev't Foundation  Initiatives;

For the technology  session Miller Bicaldo manager  of Pecuaria Development Coop, Inc. will present Pecuaria's Organic Way of Farming ; Keith Mekkelson of Aloha House  will share experiences  in making organic farm a sanctuary;  Morlito Apuzen of TUBAGA will  share good practices   in organic banana production;   Dr. Susan Balingit of UPLB  will discuss the benefits  of organic agriculture  on health and wellness; Dr. Rogelio Colting of Benguet State University  will present best organic practices for sector development ;  and Erlinda Corsiga of Sorsogon Food Enterprise will share her success story  on organic vinegar  production.

Meanwhile Andry Lim  of Tribal Mission Foundation  (TMF) will  discuss  natural farming  system technology;  Dr. Rodel Maghirang of UPLB will give   tips on  how to  produce organic seeds and ;  Dr. Eduardo Fajardo  & Dr. Rosalie  Rafael  of Natividad farms  will share  their  experience and good practices in organic hydroponics in greenhouses  for large scale vegetable farming. (Emily B. Bordado)