DUMAGUETE CITY, May 2 (PIA) –Negros Oriental Agriculturist Office conducted a training of trainers on organic farming for sustainable food production and as climate change adaptation. 

Provincial agriculturist Gregorio Paltingca said, “We are now introducing organic farming to mitigate the heat that we are experiencing because of CO2 emission”.

Paltingca said in organic farming, emits less carbon dioxide which will not make the atmosphere hotter.

The agriculture office initiated another way of adapting to climate change by adjusting the province’s planting season to different crops.

The training area on organic farming was held at Sitio Naga, barangay Katikogan, Siaton town as it has a good source of water for irrigation, sufficient land area and is surrounded by organic initiatives.

Paltingca said different protocols were taught to technicians from municipal and local government units that would soon become area facilitators to transfer the technical knowledge to farmers all over the province.

The technicians trained the farmers on different substrates that can be used as organic fertilizer and various processes to be applied on the field.

However, Paltingca explained  the organic fertilizers take longer to become effective so the effect is slow because the microorganisms present are limited.

With the  introduction of Bokashi, a bio-organic fertilizer composed of cultured microorganisms, the conversion of substrates into elements needed by plants becomes faster, he said.

Paltingca said despite the need for ample time, organic fertilizers are known to give various benefits to consumers that outweigh those of synthetic fertilizers.

Organically-grown fruits and vegetables do not carry harmful chemicals which can be detrimental to human health, it is said.

The agriculture cited the use of organic fertilizers is more economical and a more sustainable option that does not disturb nutrients in the soil. (mbcn/JCT/PIA7-NegOr with reports from Michico M. Bitoon, intern)