By Niño S. Manaog, Capiz State University
Photos by Rodkris Felipe, Municipality of Dao
Dao shall go organic further.
On February 28–29, 2012, the Farmers’ Information and Technology Services (FITS) Center based in Dao, Capiz hosted the Training of Municipal Agri-Pinoy Stakeholders & Farmers in Organic Agriculture at the Dao Municipal Building in Poblacion, Dao, Capiz.
Funded by the Agricultural Training Institute-Regional Training Center 6 (ATI-RTC 6) and supported by the Department of Agriculture-Regional Field Unit 6 (DA-RFU 6) and the Capiz State University (CapSU) Techno Gabay Team, the training subtitled “A Sustainable Agriculture and Food Security Initiative of the Local Government of Dao, Capiz” sought to increase the awareness of the Dao local stakeholders and organize them into supporting the Organic Agriculture Program in accordance with the Organic Agriculture Act of the national government.
Some 50 participants including employees of the municipal government of Dao, barangay officials and public elementary and high school teachers of Edukasyong Pangkabuhayan at Pantahanan (EPP) from the 20 barangays of Dao, Capiz listened to input by DA, ATI, CapSU and the Dao FITS Center personnel.
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| ORGANIC AGRICULTURE TRAINING PARTICIPANTS Stakeholders, sponsors and supporters of the Training of Municipal Agri-Pinoy Stakeholders & Farmers in Organic Agriculture at the Dao Municipal Building, Poblacion, Dao, Capiz |
Dr. Hector Peñaranda, officer-in-charge of the special concerns of DA-RFU 6, shared the key concepts on Republic Act 10068, or the Organic Agriculture Act of 2010. Among others, Peñaranda stressed the importance of local technical teams to help usher in the organic farming framework in the barangay levels.
Mr. Eduardo Navarra, training coordinator and Techno Gabay Team Leader of the Capiz State University (CapSU) working under the Western Visayas Agriculture and Resources Research and Development Consortium (WESVARRDEC), promoted the importance and usefulness of organic farming practices to combat the ill effects of conventional and commercial farming.
After FITS Center Manager Susan Dordas briefed the audience on the climate change’s negative effects of conventional farming practices to human health and environment, Technology Services Specialist Genes Estialbo led the demonstration on making effective microorganisms using indigenous ingredients and raw materials.
The two-day lecture demo also featured Ms. Mary Ann Ramos, Agriculturist II of ATI, who gave the overview of the Agri-Pinoy Development Framework; Mr. Antonio Llorente, Agriculturist II of the same agency who shared his know-how on diversified integrated organic farming system; Mr. Erwin Mateo of Dao FITS Center who lectured on organic chickens and swine raising; and Mr. Reynaldo Durana, a teacher of Dao Central School who shared their experience in practicing organic agriculture in their school and community gardens.
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| ORGANIC AGRICULTURE PROMOTERS (Clockwise from top left) TSS Genes Estialbo, assisted by Elisa Ledesma, leads the demonstration on making natural fertilizers; DA-RFU 6’s Hector Peñaranda stresses the importance of organic agriculture endorsed by the national government; Dao FITS Center Manager Susan Dordas briefs the participants on the ill effects of climate change; teachers and barangay officials listen to the lectures; and ATI's Mary Ann Ramos and Erwin Mateo of Dao FITS Center share their expertise to the Dao constituents. |
The organic agriculture awareness campaign drew a number of responses from the participants. Ms. Cecilia Lacuarta, 52 year-old Technology and Livelihood Education (TLE) teacher in Arturo Jugo National High School, and Agricultural Education graduate of Panay State Polytechnic College (PSPC) in the 1980s, recognized the importance of updating their knowledge on organic agriculture. For Lacuarta, the practice is indispensable not only because it promotes health but also because it is inexpensive. Lacuarta said that though she is working in a high school situated in an upland barangay, which poses difficulty for them, she is nevertheless optimistic because their barangay captain supports such initiatives.
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| ORGANIC AGRICULTURE CHAMPIONS Organic agriculture is alive in Dao, Capiz, as shown in this collage—Dao Sangguniang Bayan Member Deogracias Tianchon (top left), chairman for agriculture, guides his constituents representing three sectors—teachers, barangay officials, and municipal employees—in pursuing organic farming to productivity; organic farming solutions and produce were exhibited during the two-day lecture demo (center photos); and TSS Genes Estialbo sells natural farming solutions to a farmer. |
Mr. Vic Bolante, Jr., chairman of Dao’s Office of the Senior Citizen Affairs (OSCA) and member of the town’s local water utilities board, recognized how organic agriculture best helps the elderly members of the community. Representing some 1,000 members, Bolante said that organic farming as an activity helps encourage exercise and physical activity among senior citizens. He also said that organic produce is nutritious and thus good for their health.
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| Mr. Wilfredo Corcino, Dao farmer scientist |
Meanwhile, Mr. Wilfredo Corcino, kagawad of barangay Agtangway and Dao’s farmer scientist, fully promotes organic agriculture practices among his barangay folks. Foremost, Corcino considers the practice very important because it costs less for the farmers to produce organic fertilizers. Corcino said that he has been producing natural fertilizers himself and selling them to farmers in the locality. For the farmer scientist, this is one of the best ways to advocate organic agriculture.
Highlight of the initiative was the action planning workshop which involved the participation of the teachers, local officials and the municipal office workers. The three groups submitted their corresponding work plans for the upcoming year. The teachers’ group planned to reinforce the organic farming practices in their own school gardens, or through the Gulayan sa Paaralan program. They also sought to echo the knowledge gained to the parents and local residents of their respective barangays through the parent-teachers association (PTA).
Local barangay officials also worked together to initiate a series of activities in their localities through the assistance of the Dao FITS Center. Among them are the orientation lectures on the advantages of organic farming, conduct of farmers’ classes with emphasis on the production of organic fertilizers, and the adoption of the Environment Code of the municipality of Dao.
For its part, the Office of the Municipal Agriculturist (OMA) composed of the Dao FITS Center personnel, sought to establish the Techno Demo Farm for Organic Rice, Organic Vegetables and Organic Livestock, which is a level-up of sorts from their organic program campaign launched in 2011. Headed by Ms. Marilyn Facto, municipal agriculturist, the OMA planned to set guidelines for selecting the farmer cooperators for the components of the organic agriculture program from among the barangays and identified the modes of assistance required for the Techno Demo Farm, Gulayan sa Paaralan and Gulayan sa Barangay.
While these initiatives were supported by Mr. Deogracias Tianchon, Jr., Dao municipal councilor and committee chair on agriculture; Vice-Mayor Loreto Eslaban; and Mayor Joselito Escutin, the ATI represented by Dr. Eden Bautista, Training Specialist III, particularly encouraged the Dao constituents to pursue organic agriculture to fruition.
In her speech which closed the event, Bautista asked the Dao constituents to look to the province of Negros Occidental, whose widespread activities in organic agriculture have been so prolific through the years, because their ultimate goal is to be the Organic Bowl of Asia. Bautista asked them to be inspired by Negros Occidental and do the same for the Province of Capiz.
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| ORGANIC AGRICULTURE SUPPORTERS Officials and stakeholders alike recognize the indispensable role of pursuing organic agriculture in the countryside. They include (clockwise from top left) Dao Mayor Joselito Escutin; Training Specialist Eden Bautista of the Agricultural Training Institute (ATI); Reynaldo Durana, elementary school teacher; Capiz Assistant Provincial Agriculturist Elizabeth Betito ; Antonio Llorente, agriculturist II of ATI; and Dao Vice-Mayor Loreto Eslaban. |
