Picture of Joeven C. Calasagsag
Organic farming festival slated
by Joeven C. Calasagsag - Monday, 24 May 2010, 08:33 AM
 
By ZAC B. SARIAN
May 21, 2010, 5:45pm

Advocates of organic agriculture will showcase their products and technologies during the 3rd Pinoy Organic Festival on May 28 to 30 at the AANI Herbal Garden and Livelihood Center at the Quezon Memorial Circle in Quezon City.

The event will also celebrate the recently-passed Philippine Organic Agriculture Law which is expected to boost significantly the efforts of various groups advocating organic farming and gardening.

A trade fair showcasing the various organic products available in the market will be a major highlight of the three-day event. These will include fresh as well as processed farm produce from different parts of the country.

During the first day, Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri, principal author of the organic agriculture law, will talk on the opportunities as well as the challenges of the new law. With the new law, a substantial budget allocation will be used to promote every aspect of organic farming.

In the morning of Saturday, the second day, a public forum on the organic agriculture law will be held. Among those who have been invited to the panel of discussants are Rep. Proceso Alcala of Quezon, Rep. Abraham Mitra of Palawan, Rep. Leonardo Montemayor of ABA Party List and Federation of Free Farmers, and Agriculture Sec. Bernie Fondevilla.

It may be noted that Rep. Alcala has been active in promoting organic agriculture in his district in Quezon. He has been financing the training of farmers and municipal agriculturists on organic farming. He is also the sponsor of an ongoing organic gardening competition in elementary and high schools in his district. In the afternoon of Saturday, organic farming projects will be presented. These include the Villegas Organic and Hobby Farm in Malvar, Batangas; the Leonie Agri Corporation, an OCCP certified farm; Platinum Island Farm in Tanay, Rizal; and Santuario de la Natividad Farm, Inc.

On Sunday, experts will discuss organic and natural fertilizer technologies in the morning. Discussants will be Raymond Rubia on vermiculture; Jun Catan of Mapecon on the application of vermicast in organic agricultural production; Amway on organic liquid fertilizer, and Costales Nature’s Farm in Majayjay, Laguna.

In the afternoon, organic livestock production will be discussed by an expert of Laguna Organic Farm. It will be followed by Teresa Saniano who will tackle integrated organic rice-based farming systems. Ms. Saniano has been conducting training on organic farming not only in Laguna but also in other parts of the country. Together with husband Armand, they have their own showcase of an organic rice farm integrated with fish and vegetables.

The exhibits and seminars are open free to the public.


http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/258394/organic-farming-festival-slated
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