Organic Farming Goes International

While most Americans realize the growing trend of organic farming, many may not realize that this happening not just domestically, but around the world. According to this article from FreshPlaza, in the Phillippines the government is taking an avid role in promoting organic agriculture.

Philippines: Mango producers urged to adopt organic farming

Mango producers throughout Negros Island were urged to adopt the sustainable and environment-friendly organic farming technology to boos their harvest. The call was made by top officials of the Negros Island Sustainable Agricultural and Rural Development (Nisard) during a three-day seminar on organic mango production technology, which was conducted by the same group recently.

Communications Officer Oliver Lemence of the Provincial Agriculturist's Office explained that city and municipal mango technicians, local mango producers and the private sector, numbering 40, attended the seminar and are convinced on the organic way of farming, while some had gradually shifted to such method.

He said the meeting aims to help local mango producers develop their harvest through the use of organic farming technology. Nisard Foundation, which is now headed by Negros Oriental third district Representative Henry Pryde Teves, is now updating all sectors of agriculture as they highly promote the use of organic farming.

Lemence also said their agency introduced the liquefied organic pesticides that can be used to spray fruit bearing trees and vegetables. "The use of organic pesticides will minimize expenses and prevent the use of synthetic pesticides that could be hazardous to health and the environment," Lemence added in a talk with the members of the media.

Earlier, Provincial Agriculturist Gregorio Paltinca said majority of the towns and cities in the province produces mango, but the production is not enough to supply the market demand. Through the just-concluded seminar, it is expected that those who participated the activity will be already equipped on how to produce export-quality mangos.