The Department of Agriculture-National Organic Agriculture Program (DA-NOAP) led the formal opening of the 10th National Organic Agriculture Month celebration with the theme, “Kabuhayang OA, Kinabukasang OK: PGS Pinalakas para sa Bagong Pilipinas” on November 4.

By virtue of Presidential Proclamation No. 1030, series of 2015, the National Organic Agriculture Month is celebrated every November to promote organic agriculture as a healthy, sustainable farming approach that is also capable of enhancing the country’s global competitiveness and environmental integrity, producing affordable, safe and nutritious food, increasing food security and safety, and alleviating poverty.

Likewise, it supports the enactment of the Republic Act No. 10068 or the Organic Agriculture Act of 2010, which mandate is to promote, propagate, develop, and implement organic agriculture practices in the Philippines.

DA Undersecretary for High Value Crops Cheryl Marie Natividad-Caballero, who concurrently chairs the National Organic Agriculture Board (NOAB), expressed that the said celebration is a “testament of our effort, passion, and hard work in developing a sustainable farming system and providing safe food for our farmers and communities.”

“Looking back on the past decade, advocating and institutionalizing organic agriculture in the Philippines faced difficulties as it was considered a foreign concept. Our industry has faced various challenges: from market difficulties, struggles on organic certification, to the complexities of transitioning from conventional to organic farming. But with our collective dedication and commitment, we have managed to overcome these challenges and even develop initiatives and programs that will lessen the burden on our farmers and provide more accessible markets for our consumers,” Usec. Natividad-Caballero added.

DA-NOAP Director Bernadette San Juan shared that the 10th National Organic Agriculture Month highlights the conduct of the first International Participatory Guarantee System (PGS) Summit, which will be proudly hosted by the Philippines through the DA-NOAP and the DA-Agricultural Training Institute (ATI) on November 25 to 29, 2024.

The Summit will emphasize the PGS as an affordable yet effective means to intensify the integrity of locally-produced agricultural products in the Philippines.

Implemented by the DA-Bureau of Agriculture and Fisheries Standards (BAFS), the PGS is a certification mechanism for small farmers, fisherfolk, cooperatives, and associations engaging in organic agriculture practices, producing organic agriculture products, and adhering to the Philippine National Standards for Organic Agriculture. It aims to strengthen the country’s organic agriculture certification as well as encourage all PGS groups to form a federation that will be represented in the NOAB.

“As opposed to the third party certification, sa PGS, ‘yong mga farmers na mismo ang magse-certify sa kanilang kapuwa farmers. Sa tulong ng sistemang ito, nabibigyan natin ng boses ang ating mga magsasaka at nakikilala ang kanilang mga produkto bilang certified organic,” Director San Juan explained.

Aside from the implementation of the PGS, the DA-NOAP also continues to offer a wide range of services including the provision of organic agriculture-based livelihoods, capacity development initiatives, research for development and extension, establishment of local organic seed centers, marketing assistance, social credit, policy development, advocacy and promotions, and youth empowerment through its Youth Internship Program on Organic Agriculture (YIPOA).

“Ang nagdaang dekada ay isang patunay na kaya nating magkaroon ng isang ligtas at sustenableng sistema ng pagsasaka para sa ating komunidad at mga magsasaka. Makakaasa po kayo na hindi po titigil ang ating programa sa pagbibigay ng walang sawang suporta para sa ikauunlad ng ating mga magsasaka,” the DA-NOAP Director assured.

NOAB Luzon Small Farmers Representative Gabriel Arubio conveyed the support of local organic farmers, fisherfolk, and associations for this year’s celebration. 

“Tayo po ay magtulong-tulong para isulong at palakasin ang organic agriculture program sa ating bansa. Sa pagtatagpo sa gitna ng pamahalaan, sa pamamagitan ng Kagawaran ng Pagsasaka, at kami bilang mga lider ng mga organikong magsasaka sa Pilipinas, ay maisusulong natin nang matagumpay at maisasakatuparan ang mga programa ng DA-NOAP,” he said. 

This year’s celebration is highlighted by a photo exhibit and bazaar of locally-produced organic agriculture products at the DA Central Office in Diliman, Quezon City. The DA Regional Field Offices (RFOs) and other operating units will also be conducting various activities on organic agriculture throughout the month of November. ### (Krystelle Ymari A. Vergara, DA-AFID)