Organic farming on the rise

Organic farming worldwide is on the rise, the Philippines included.

At the last International Conference in Organic Agriculture held in Switzerland, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) reported that conversion of global agriculture to organic management, without use of chemical fertilizer would result in global imcreased organic food production.

Intensified development in different countries, according to FAO, backed by proven applied research and development (R&D) would increase food production by 56%.

It was also reported that organic farming in agrifarms use 33-56% less energy per hectare.

Locally, Dr. Melodio Palaypay, executive director of National Commission on Urban Pest Control of the Philippines (NCUCP), attributes the increased food production to former president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo due to the enactment of RA 200681 of 2001. The Act provides for development and promotion of the National Soil Management Law that led to the issuance of the Presidential Proclamation of 2003 which is relevant to the Organic Agricultural recovery waste program and prohibition of the use of pesticide and chemical fertilizer.

It was gathered that in 2010, there were more than 23 million hectares of farm lands managed organically with food production value of around $30 billion.

It is time to look at the health benefits of organic produce to boost the change in the Filipino diet . – Gerry Constantino, Muntinlupa City