Agriculture
Cebu hosts 8th Regional Organic Agriculture Congress
Cebu City- Some 150 organic agriculture farmer-practitioners and enthusiasts attended a two-day Regional Organic Agriculture Congress (ROAC) with the theme, “Kabuhayang OA, Kinabukasang OK: PGS Pinalakas para sa Bagong Pilipinas”, on August 7-8, 2024 held at a hotel in Cebu City,.
In his message, DA7 Regional Technical Director for Regulations, Dr. Wilberto O. Castillo, encouraged the participants to actively participate in the discussions as this will serve as avenue of exchanging knowledge, sharing of experiences and opportunties as well as learn from the organic experts and stakeholders of other provinces.
Dale Russeth Gabanes, the promotion manager of the Advocacy and Policy Division of the National Organic Agriculture Program (NOAP), who represented in behalf of NOAP Director Bernadette San Juan cited several reasons why organic agriculture should be pursued, one of which is the Sustainability in Philippine Agriculture thru Self – Sufficiency.
He shared that the country has already accredited 32 Participatory Guarantee System -Organic Certifying Bodies (PGS-OCB) as of July, 2024. This is about ten times the number of PGS in most countries.
Highlighting the ROAC is the awarding of certificate of recognition to Bohol Participatory Guarantee System (BPGSA) as second PGS-OCB (Organic Certifying Body) in Central Visayas. Certificates of Commitments were also given to proponents of the Organic Agriculture Livelihood Project (OALP) for FY 2024.
