“Let us come together, not only to farm organically but to ensure that organic agriculture provides real income, dignity, and resilience to our farmers”, the director of the National Organic Agriculture Program of the Department of Agriculture said on Tuesday, Oct. 18.
NOAP Director Bernadette F. San Juan, who spoke at the 18th National Organic Agriculture Congress at the SMX Convention Center in Bacolod City, said “when we make organic agriculture profitable, we make it sustainable”.
She said climate change, soil degradation, and environmental decline threaten the foundations of our food systems.
“Organic agriculture offers a way forward, one that proves stability, profitability, and environmental care can go hand in hand,” San Juan said.
The Department of Agriculture, through the National Organic Agriculture Program, is committed to strengthening this sector with programs that provide livelihood projects, capacity-building, support for women and youth in agriculture, and market development, she said.
“We are laying the groundwork for an organic industry that is not only viable but competitive. But government efforts alone will not be enough. What we need is what this Congress represents: unity and collaboration among farmers, researchers, policymakers, and agribusiness,” San Juan said.
Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson, in his speech, reaffirmed the provincial government’s full support for organic agriculture.
He also thanked the DA, led by Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr., for swiftly extending assistance to Negros Occidental in the aftermath of Typhoon Tino, which has severely affected several agricultural communities.
Zaldy Boloron, DA Negros Island Region regional technical director , said the organic congress serves as “a vital platform for exchanging ideas, showcasing innovations, and strengthening our collective resolve to advance organic agriculture across the country”. *