(Photo courtesy of DA4A)
STA. CRUZ, Laguna -- Laguna farmers have discovered the potentials of organic farming after undertaking a seminar on this method of cultivation under the auspices of the Department of Agriculture regional office in Calabarzon and the Laguna Office of the Provincial Agriculturist here.
Daniel Yee, Municipal Agricultural and Fishery Council (MAFC) chairperson of Kalayaan town in Laguna told Philippine News Agency on Friday that he and the more than 40 Laguna farmers-trainees are seriously considering venturing into organic agriculture following the seminar hosted by the DA Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance Division (AMAD).
“Ako po ay nasa organikong pagsasaka na. Maganda ito dahil hindi ito ginagamitan ng pestisidyo at kemikal. Nakakatuwa kasi napapabuti ang kalagayan naming magsasaka at mga pamilya dahil hindi na kami makakakain ng mga may lason. Kaya nagpapasalamat kami sa DA sa pagsasagawa ng seminar na ito (I’m now into organic farming. This (organic farming) is good because it does not use harmful pesticides and chemicals. It’s interesting that this has improved the lives of the farmers and their families and protected them from consuming toxic, unsafe foods. We thank DA for organizing this seminar),” said Yee.
He said more than 40 local farmers-members of the MAFCs and their city counterparts undertook the seminar at the Multi-Purpose Training Center of the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist in this Laguna capital town on July 17.
The seminar participants comprised of chairpersons of the Laguna MAFCs/CAFCs; presidents and members of farmers’ groups; and provincial agriculture, health, and information offices, and human resource department representatives.
The DA has intensified its training for farmers to convince them to employ more modern growing methods that are also environment-friendly and produce crops that are healthy for consumers.
The seminar also encouraged the local farmers to use organic products and seeks to promote consumers’ appreciation and patronage of organic products.
Laguna Provincial Agriculturist Marlon P. Tobias, along with DA Regional Organic Agriculture Program staff Arnaldo P. Gonzales facilitated the training seminar and presented the current status of organic agriculture program in Laguna and the Calabarzon Region. (PNA)
