Agriculture Chief Wants Rice Farms To Go Organic

From Inquirer.net

Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap wants 10 percent of the country’s 1.87 million hectares of rice farms nationwide to go organic as one of the government’s roadmaps to address poverty and hunger.

At the recent kickoff of the Go Organic! Movement in Quezon City, Yap gave his full support to the advocacy of various environmentalist groups, local government units and the academe to promote organic farming to help solve the country’s food crisis.

“What we want to show to the public is that we have an extension program in place in partnership with the local governments, academe and the non-government and farmers’ organizations. We are set to roll out the program by the dry crop season,” Yap was quoted by the movement as saying.

Various groups led by Alaminos City Mayor Hernani Braganza of Pangasinan recently launched the Go Organic! Movement to promote organic farming at the PRRM office in Quezon City. The groups include the Philippine Rural Reconstruction Movement, Paragos-Pilipinas, Centro Saka Inc., La Liga Policy Institute, SRI-Pilipinas, Education for Life Foundation, University of the Philippines-Los Baños, Philippine Greens and Earth Day Network.

“I, myself, am a believer of organic agriculture. We are all converts. We are willing to accept the program to increase food productivity and farmers’ income. I am happy to be here,” Yap said.

Yap, according to the Go Organic Movement, disclosed that he had signed a special order creating a task force headed by Agriculture Undersecretary for Special Concerns Berna Romulo-Puyat to finalize the partnership agreement to incorporate organic farming under the government’s FIELDS program next month.

He noted a 30 percent drop in chemical fertilizer use due to price increases.

“I want to see an increased income of all farmers nationwide. But we have a big problem when the prices of fertilizers rose high. For that reason, the President ordered an increased production through FIELDS,” he said.

“This is where organic farming comes in. And we look forward to a fruitful partnership with the Go Organic! Movement for the successful transformation of our rice farms to organic farms.”

Yap also discussed plans to hold a nationwide rice festival culminating on Oct. 16—World Food Day—as a means to promote organic farming to local governments and Filipino farmers.

Former senator Helena Benitez, honorary chairperson of PRRM, also expressed her full support for Go Organic!

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