– allocated P10 Million for organic agriculture and livelihood program

Negros Oriental Governor Roel Ragay Degamo will officially open the  Buglasan 2014 Organic Farm Family Agri-Fair on Wednesday, October 15 at the Provincial Nursery Compound, this City. 

 

This is  the  first salvo of  a series of significant activities that focuses on the Buglasan Festival of Festivals. Governor Degamo highlighted the importance of organic agriculture to address climate change and global warming.

“This is to protect the environment, provide livelihood and healthy safe food for our people,’ the provincial chief executive stressed.

Organic  agriculture   helps  restore  the  fertility  of  the  soil,  increases  food production while provide better income for the farmers,”  he added.

During  the  two-day  Agri-Fair,  over  500  delegates  from  the  various local government units will arrive to showcase their various organic products, demonstrate their  skills in organic fertilizer formulation, organic food preparation, and indigenous cultural harvest festival, dance show and attend organic  farming lectures.

Provincial Agriculturist Gregorio Paltinca said the move of the governor gives significance to the food  security  program as organic agriculture is the best avenue to sustainable development.

Paltinca  said the  P10 Million  fund given by  Gov. Degamo  to the Provincial Agriculturist’s  Office  will focus on  organic agriculture and  livelihood  program  for informal groups in the Province.

He  said  organic agriculture  focuses  on  increasing  rice,  corn and vegetable production, both in the lowlands and far-flung barangays in the hinterlands.

“We  are  forming  various  training  teams  whose expertise in rice, corn and vegetable enhancement will be brought to the farmers level.  An estimated  1,500 farmers will benefit from this program,” Paltinca disclosed.

The Livelihood Program include organic livestock and fishery production, food processing, bio-organic fertilizer formulation, human resource development trainings. This is expected to benefit  1,500 women and farmers in various associations province wide.