Organic farm growers submit road map

THE Organic Producers and Trade Association Philippines Inc. (OPTA) on Tuesday presented to the Department of Agriculture a roadmap for organic agriculture for the next three to five years.

Mara Pardo de Tavera, president of OPTA, told reporters that they have presented before Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala the organic roadmap for 2011 to 2015.

De Tavera said that the roadmap will focus on five focal projects costing a combined P200 million.

The roadmap includes the development and expansion of the local and export organic markets, establishment of organic farming techno-demo and training centers, and assisting local governments in the formulation of organic agriculture master plans.

The roadmap will also include the establishment of a database of organic producers, processors, retailers, and other stakeholders; and the holding of an international conference on organic agriculture.

Implementation would cost at least P200 million.

For the development and expansion of the local and export organic markets, the group said it will need at least P20 million for promotions and the implementation of market-driven organic quality assurance system for growers, producers and retailers.

The group will also need P100 million for the construction of five organic techno-demo and training centers that would provide the necessary training, production, and marketing support to existing and new organic growers, processors and entrepreneurs.

The OPTA also plans to localize organic agriculture development, which will introduce an experimental and process-based planning curriculum in formulating local governments’ organic agriculture development master plans – including strategic agriculture and fisheries development zones.

The project would cost P25 million.

The group would also need at least P25 million for research and development, and another P30 million for the holding of the international conference on organic agriculture.

To date, the organic subsector—which consists of certified organic farmers and organizations—represents less than one percent of the total agriculture sector. “This is roughly 50,000 hectares dedicated to agricultural farming,” de Tavera said.

With the roadmap’s implementation, the group hopes to increase its scope by at least 10 percent a year.

“Food security should not mean just profit for big corporations. If we really want to have real food security, we have to do something else.
And that is going back to the very basics of organic farming,” de Tavera said.

The government has yet to commit funding for the sector. –JAMES KONSTANTIN GALVEZ REPORTER, Manila Times

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