In the first day of the training, Manager Susan Dordas and Technology Services Specialist Genes Estialbo of the Dao FITS Center shared valuable information through lectures on Republic Act 10068, otherwise known as the Organic Agriculture Act of 2010 and the Natural Farming Systems. In particular, Dordas promoted to the participants the harmful effects of conventional farming, while Estialbo stressed on the importance and the convenience of adopting natural farming systems in the farms.
DAO ORGANICS ADVOCATES INVADE PRESIDENT ROXAS.
Supported by the local government represented by SB Committee on Agriculture Chairman Bernardo Loretizo, Dao FITS Center’s Susan Dordas and Genes Estialbo promote organic farming practices as far as their fellow FITS Center in President Roxas, Capiz during the latter’s sponsored organic training workshop in July 2012.
In the second day, the facilitators personally guided the teachers and farmers in preparing concoctions. Participants prepared fish amino acid, fermented plant juice, oriental herbal nutrient and calcium phosphate. According to Dordas, they also prepared bioorganic pesticides including organic conditioner, herbal extracts spray and organic herbal extracts which help in increasing the productivity in their vegetable yields.
After this batch which consisted of teachers and enthusiasts in charge of their school vegetable gardens, the next batch of organic training designed for rice farmers will be conducted by the same Farmers’ Information and Technology Services (FITS) Center before the second cropping within the year.
The livelihood and skills training initiative was led by Leonardo Barcenas, manager of the President Roxas FITS Center and their personnel, namely: Ulysses Bendicio, Annabelle Dorado and Joseph Beltran, all agricultural technologists.
The advocacy on organic farming production is likewise supported by the Capiz State University under the leadership of President Editha L. Magallanes. Through its Techno Gabay Program led by Team Leader Eduardo Navarra, CapSU continually advocates indigenous backyard technologies that will help augment the income of ordinary rural folk and help address the poverty in the countryside.
CapSU is one of the 18 partner member agencies that help assist seven FITS centers across the Province of Capiz in partnership with the Western Visayas Agriculture and Resources Research and Development Consortium (WESVARRDEC) operating under the auspices of the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic, and Natural Resources Research and Development (PCAARRD).
