South Cotabato sees more farmers shifting to organic farming

By Danilo E. Doguiles

Saturday 14th of July 2012

KORONADAL CITY, South Cotabato, July 14 (PIA) -- Expect more farmers in South Cotabato to embrace organic farming as an economic enterprise soon.

Provincial Agriculturist Reynaldo Legaste said one of their major objectives is to change the outlook, attitude and farm management styles of local farmers, “particularly to adopt organic growing of food crops.”

During the 3rd Grand Farmers’ Field Day on Thusday, the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPAG) showcased several plots of organically grown tomato and cauliflower to more than 500 farmers in attendance.

The organically grown crops inside the provincial research and demonstration farm at Sitio Pedregosa, Brgy. Rizal, Banga town are being managed by the 39 trainees of the province’s first farmer field school on organic vegetable farming.

OPAG conducts this trainers’ training in partnership with the Agricultural Training Institute and the Department of Agriculture 12.

Since these plots are situated near demo gardens of hybrid vegetable commodities, farmers could observe that they produce as much volume from their organic farms and at lesser cost as those growing crops the traditional way.

Legaste is confident that with their ongoing campaign more farmers would turn to organic farming because of its sustainability and economic potential which should be pushed further by the consumers’ increasing awareness of healthy eating.

He cited Surallah and Koronadal City as among the local government units with considerable adoption of organic farming technologies.

In June, Surallah Mayor Romulo Solivio Sr. reported that more 600 farmers, mostly rice growers, have been producing organically grown commodities.

Legaste explained nearly 1,000 hectares in Surallah are being devoted to organic rice farming “but even with this much land, they are still unable to supply the growing demand for organic rice.”

Meanwhile, at his state of the city address on July 9, Koronadal Mayor Peter Miguel said 27 farmers in the city have already shifted to organic farming; 2,157 more have recently been trained in this approach of growing crops.

Some farmers in Banga and Norala towns have also begun growing organic crops, Legaste said.

He added that strategies are being implemented to support the organic farming industry in the province.

After completing the farmer field school at the demo farm, the 39 technician- and farmer-leader trainees are also expected to become agents of change in their communities and encourage more farmers to adopt the technology considering availability of support from the provincial government and other agencies and institutions.

“Before 2013, we should have established a center which will serve as a depot for organic commodities and where consumers can buy purely organic products,” he explained.

“We are also consolidating efforts with local farmers, farmer groups and LGUs to facilitate marketing of these products because it is a reality that we can only enter into more profitable agreements with buyers and markets if we have the volume when supply is required,” he said.

He lauded the South Cotabato Vegetable Council for being actively involved in encouraging their member growers to change to organic farming.

“Within two to three years, we should be able to transform the provincial research and demonstration farm into a center for organic farming where farmers can learn technologies and cultural management techniques as well as acquire planting materials for growing of organic commodities,’” he added. (DEDoguiles/PIA 12)