The Victorias City government sealed its partnership with the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements – Asia (IFOAM-Organics Asia) and will conduct the Organic Foundation Course (OFC), a training program on organic agriculture for stakeholders of the Local Government Units.
Victorias City Mayor Javier Miguel Benitez signed a memorandum of agreement with IFOAM-Organics Asia Vice President Edgardo Uychiat to launch the Organic Foundation Course on Friday, May 19.
IFOAM-Organics Asia is an organization that develops and promotes organic markets and organic foods, a press release from Victorias said.
One of their projects is the Asian Local Government for Organic Agriculture (ALGOA) which led to the formulation of the OFC.
Through the MOA signing, Victorias LGU will host the training and will collaborate with IFOAM in conducting the OFC which will be participated by the stakeholders in different LGUs who are practicing organic agriculture.
The training will be intended to educate the participants on the basics of organic agriculture, to develop their capacity to create, design, and implement organic-related programs, projects, and activities, promote organic or “life agriculture” and inspire participants to embrace organic agriculture, and to build an alliance and establish a network of organic agriculture practitioners.
Councilor Hermie Millan, Councilor Dexter Senido, Councilor Derek Palanca, Councilor Warlito Undar, and Councilor Audie Malaga were in attendance during the MOA signing.
They were joined by the Victorias Organic Farmers Association (VOFA) Chairman Rhodora Martinez, Haydee Panhilason of the Rural Improvement Club of Barangay X, Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Management Council (FARMC) Chairman Karen Beraye, city department heads, and other stakeholders.
IFOAM-Organics Asia Administrative Support Staff Karen Marie Gerson also witnessed the signing together with City Agriculture Office Department Head Leni Lacuesta. *