CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – The Department of Agriculture – Regional Field Office 10 (DA-10) through its Organic Agriculture (OA) program, conducted the 8th Regional Organic Agriculture Congress (ROAC) on September 9-10, in this city.

The ROAC, with the theme: “Kabuhayang OA, Kinabukasang OK: PGS Pinalakas para sa Bagong Pilipinas”, encourages the organic practitioners and advocates to apply for Participatory Guarantee System (PGS), a mechanism that certifies a farmer or fisher, including their farm, association, and cooperative that are engaged in OA practices and produces organic products.

DA-10 OA focal person Mark Anthony D. Lagamon stressed the importance of conducting the annual ROAC for the farmers and fishers in the region.

“This is not just a venue for learning and advocating about the organic practices, this is also a venue for our organic farmers and advocates to lobby their concerns, craft and propose resolutions, and study the organic guidelines and policies for a better and progressive organic agriculture implementation in the country.”

Meanwhile, DA-10 Regional Executive Director Jose Apollo Y. Pacamalan, emphasized, in his message, the significance of working together in order to achieve desirable results for the OA in the region.

“We have to help each other because we cannot do it alone. Let us know what you really need as organic practitioners so we can reinvent the way we implement our [OA] program and serve you better.”

Participated by organic advocates across the region, the congress was also attended by Dale Russeth Gabanes and Kristine Gabrielle Soriano from the National OA Program, and DA-10 Field Operations Division chief Luz I. Guzman, PhD.

The activity was also supported by the Agriculture Training Institute – Regional Training Center 10, Bureau of Soils and Water Management, and heads and representatives from the different divisions of DA-10.# (CRS)