Organic herbs and seedlings sold in last year’s Negros organic farmers festival in Bacolod City. (File photo from Negros Occidental Capitol PIO)
BACOLOD CITY -- Multi-awarded Negrense farmer Jerry Dionson is seeking the extension of the Filipino farmers’ organic certification validity from one year to five years.
Dionson, who is from Bago City, Negros Occidental, currently sits as director of the National Organic Agriculture Board (NOAB), where he is a member of the regulation committee.
“The one-year duration period of the certification is so short. It is disadvantageous to farmers with long harvest period crops as they need to re-apply every year,” Dionson said in a statement on Wednesday.
He noted the five-year validity is much better provided that an audit will be conducted annually.
Dionson said he has moved for this as part of the amendments in the implementing rules and regulation (IRR) of Organic Agriculture Act 2010, which is already supported by a Department of Agriculture circular.
It is also awaiting the approval of Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol, he added.
Dionson, who represents small farmers in the Visayas in the NOAB, said he is also initiating the revision of the guidelines on availing certification assistance for organic farmers.
The NOAB had earlier approved a resolution providing certification assistance to farmers, but it should be availed of within three consecutive years.
“Farmers should avail the assistance for three years whether consecutive or not,” Dionson added.
He said he is hopeful these initiatives will be realized this year.
Extending the validity period of certification and improving the guidelines on the provision of assistance would encourage more farmers to go into organic farming resulting to a stronger agriculture sector, Dionson added. (PNA)
