“Ako po ay nasa organikong pagsasaka na. Maganda ito dahil hindi ito ginagamitan ng pestisidyo at kemikal. Nakakatuwa kasi napapabuti ang kalagayan ng mga magsasaka dahil hindi na sila makakakain ng mga may lason. Kaya nagpapasalamat ako sa DA sa pagsasagawa ng seminar na ito (I’m into organic farming. It’s good because it does not use harmful pesticides and chemicals. What’s interesting is that it improves the lives of the farmers and protects their family’s health without eating toxic, unsafe foods. So, I’m thankful to DA in this seminar).”
This was expressed by Mr. Daniel Yee, Municipal Agricultural and Fishery Council Chairperson of Kalayaan, as his appreciation for the conduct of a consumer awareness seminar on organic agriculture by the Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance Division (AMAD) of the Department of Agriculture (DA) Region IV-CALABARZON on July 17, 2019 at the Multi-Purpose Training Center of the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist in Sta. Cruz, Laguna.
The seminar was attended by 40 participants composing of chairpersons of some city and municipal agricultural and fishery councils in Laguna; presidents and members of farmers’ groups; and provincial agriculture, health, and information offices, and human resource department.
It has an objective of making the participants keener of the value of organic agriculture and products in terms of health and environment, and therefore help them to become more willing to patronize organic products taking into account its adequate identification in the market place.
Mr. Reden Mark F. Costales, co-owner of Costales Nature Farms, shared in details the importance of consumer awareness, rights, and responsibilities; organic versus natural versus commercial products; organic certification; and information dissemination.
The current status of the organic agriculture program in Laguna and in the region were presented by Provincial Agriculturist Marlon P. Tobias and Regional Organic Agriculture Program staff Arnaldo P. Gonzales, respectively.
It would be recalled that DA CALABARZON AMAD held a similar activity to 45 agriculture students in Tiaong and technical and administrative staff of Quezon Agricultural Research and Experiment Station on April 24. ● ARC, DA-RAFIS