NorMin organic adopters joins 1st Participatory Guarantee System Summit

 

QUEZON CITY — Aiming to strengthen the adoption of Organic Agriculture (OA), the Department of Agriculture – Regional Field Office 10 (DA-RFO 10) convened its organic practitioners for the 1st International PGS Summit on November 26 to 29, here.

Spearheaded by the DA-National Organic Agriculture Program (NOAP) in collaboration with the Agricultural Training Institute (ATI), the event aims to provide a platform for knowledge sharing on experiences between the local and international stakeholders in the implementation of PGS in different countries with the theme, “Celebrating 20 years of PGS Development, Growth, and Achievements.

” In his message, as conveyed by DA Undersecretary for High Value Crops Development Program and National Organic Agriculture Board chair Cheryl Marie Natividad-Caballero, DA Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr said that it is a testament to the collective commitment to sustainability, community empowerment and to the continuous development of the OA industry in the Philippines.

“PGS embodies the spirit of collaboration, trust and shared responsibility, fostering a sense of participation and engagement among all stakeholders,” the DA chief added.

The Participatory Guarantee System (PGS) is an alternative certification system organized in accordance to Republic Act (RA) No. 10068 as amended by RA 11511, otherwise known as “Amendment to Organic Agriculture Act of 2010” which aims to make rtification more accessible and affordable particularly for marginal farmers.

For Northern Mindanao, 17 delegates from the regional offices of DA and ATI, provincial agri offices of Lanao del Norte and Bukidnon, and members of the Malaybalay City Organic Farmers’ Association (MACOFA) and Tatak Organic Kauswagan Farmers’ Association (TOKFA) attended the event who also brought with them products such as herbs, rice and rice by-products for the event’s product display.

Among the Summit highlights include the launching of the OA marketplace which can be accessed via online through organic.da.gov.ph.

NOAP Director Bernadette F. San Juan shared that the development of this web-based organic platform is a joint effort of the DA and the Asian Development Bank.

“The OA marketplace connects consumers to the finest organic and naturally grown products while empowering our farmers to reach markets with ease,” the director added.

Meanwhile, the activity will run until the 29th with plenary sessions, discussions and workshops and is also aligned with the celebration of November as the Organic Agriculture Month pursuant to Presidential Proclamation No. 1030 issued in 2015.# (AMBM, Photos Supplied)