Realizing the importance of chemical-free agricultural food products and its benefits to the health and the environment, the municipality of Dao, Capiz pursued the adoption and implementation of RA 10068 or the Organic Agriculture Act of 2010.
Through the initiative of local government officials, the local technical committee on organic agriculture was organized headed by the local chief executive. Thereafter, municipal ordinances in line with the organic agriculture were passed by the municipal council and properly implemented by the municipality among all agricultural stakeholders. Some of these ordinances include no burning of rice hay, composting of agricultural waste, promotion of vermiculture projects, and using concoctions to minimize insect pest and diseases. One of the highlights of the organization of the local technical committee was the adoption of farmers on organic farming technologies and gradual conversion of conventional farms to organic farms.
These initiatives paved the way for the municipality of Dao, Capiz to garner the recognition as National Awardee for Outstanding Organic Local Government Unit in the Municipal level for year 2013 with Php 1 million worth of project as award.
The Techno-demo on Integrated and Diversified Organic Farming System (IDOFS) brought enthusiasm to the farmers to experience the practice of organic agriculture. Here, farmers were taught to make concoctions, vermi composting, integrate farm areas, and manage pest and diseases naturally. The municipal agriculture office spearheaded this project which was funded by the Department of Agriculture (RFU) 6 and Agricultural Training Institute. Learnings on this project were reinforced by educational tours to organic farms in the province of Negros Occidental.
Among the services tendered by the IDOFS learning site in barangay Magsanoc, Dao include trainings on organic agriculture, production of organic fertilizer, production of natural farming system (NFS) concoctions, vermi composting facility, production of carbonized rice hull, organic vegetable (pakbet) production, native chicken and egg production, organic swine production, goat raising, nursery for fruit and forest trees and vegetables, and natural insect repellant, herbs and medicinal plant propagation.
Proper and complete recording/documentation of IDOFS is also vital in the success of organic agriculture in Dao. Through the IDOFS, the municipality gained P100,000.00 from organic fertilizer, P50,000.00 from Bio organic nutrients, P56,000 from organic swine raising, P25,000.00 from native chicken raising, P6,000.00 from organic vegetables, P6,000.00 from organic eggs and fruits production.
The establishment of IDOFS enhanced the understanding of the general public of the health and wellness through organic agriculture and harmful effect of conventional farming to human health and ecology. This also encouraged farmers to shift from conventional farming into organic farming practices thereby mitigating the effect of climate change and global warming. (JEEO/IPAS 6) /MP
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