CCCI to promote organic farming

CEBU, Philippines - The Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI) is introducing another noble advocacy to promote organic-farming in the entire province.

To jumpstart this program, CCCI cooperation with Cebu Coalition for Food Security (CCFS) and other partners, will be holding the first “Cebu Go Organic Fair and Conference,” to heighten awareness in organic farming concept, and its resolve issues such as impression complexities, and certification processes.

The fair and conference which is slated on October 21 to 23 (2011) at the Cebu International Convention Center (CICC) expects to draw at least 500 participants from different sectors, specifically the farming communities in Cebu province, Local Government Unit (LGU) officials (City and municipal agriculturists), among others.

Samson Tiu, the event’s chairman for program and exhibits, said that with this move, there is a need for Cebu to organize a group of farmers that will eventually serve as a certification body.

At present, there are only three organic farm certification group, two of which are privately operated, while the other one is managed by the government.

“The organic law is very strict. It involves a lot of processes,” said Tiu adding that while the market for organic-produce products such as fruits, vegetables, and crops are on the rise, farmers will not only be able to take advantage this growing market domestically, but also it will open the wide consumer-based overseas.

According to Tiu, in terms of organic farming promotion, Cebu is lagging behind, although the province is not an agricultural area. Negros, and Bohol are leading this movement, and Cebu is seen to trail blaze in this movement.

Aside from promoting organic-farming, the event also aimed at encouraging young generation businessmen to engage into farming trade, while productivity of farmers in Cebu is going down, and average age of farmers now is at 55 years old, said CCFS chairman Roberto Bajinting.

In Cebu, several non-government organizations (NGOs) appealed to the Department of Agriculture (DA) to implement a sustainable farming system in the city and province to help ensure food security.

Earlier, DA announced that it is allocating P900 million for 2011 to implement various initiatives under the “Organic Agriculture Act 2010” or Republic Act No. 10068.

As provided under the Republic Act, a National Organic Agriculture Board (NOAB) will be created to serve as the policy-making body that will provide direction and general guidelines for the implementation of the national organic agriculture program.

According to Tiu, the market for organic products is steadily increasing across the world.

“This is why there is a pressing need to push for the production of organic crops, livestock and processed food especially in the Visayas region,”Tiu added.

Today, organic products are an alternative that is economically, environmentally and socially interesting to the small farmers, especially in Cebu. (FREEMAN)