Department of Agriculture in the Philippines supports organic fertilizer
Category: Rice News, Sustainable Rice CultivationA farmers and scientists network welcomes the Department of Agriculture's (DA) recent pronouncement of scrapping the P1.29 billion fertilizer subsidy program by 2009 in favor of promoting the use of organic fertilizers.
Masipag (1) a nation-wide network promoting and advocating sustainable agriculture applauds this move but remains wary of the DA's timing and motivation.
Hopefully, this unprecedented act by the DA signifies its recognition that chemical-based agriculture does not work for the small, resource-poor farmers," said Dr. Chito Medina, environmental scientist and MASIPAG National Coordinator. "However, the DA should also realize that farmers have more problems in the field aside from the high input cost.
Soils have become acidic after years of applying chemical fertilizers, and farmers tend to apply more in hopes of getting better yield. This makes them dependent to these expensive inputs," said Federico Gil, chairperson of the MASIPAG Board and a farmer from North Cotabato. "We also do not get enough support for production such as post-harvest facilities and for production systems that we prefer, such as organic farming.
The network has called on the DA to implement genuine changes in the thrust and direction of the country's agricultural programs so that food security can be achieved. These include: redirecting agricultural research on the development of traditional and improved crop varieties; providing research and training support for crop diversification and livestock management; institutionalizing academic curriculum on organic and sustainable agriculture in the agricultural state colleges and universities; developing genetic diversity by promoting the use of traditional and improved plant varieties; and improving soil fertility, water conservation especially on the upland areas.
MASIPAG likewise called the government to implement a just and speedy system of distributing land to the tillers, whose lack of access to agricultural lands and necessary support is identified as one of the main causes of declining rice and food production.
The DA has been implementing agricultural programs using hybrid rice and modern biotechnology or more popularly known as genetically modified organisms (GMOs). MASIPAG, along with other civil society groups have been opposing such programs as these only serve to increase the farmers' dependence on expensive technology that do not even deliver the promise of high yields and insect resistance.
These solutions are not based on the context of the agricultural system, and do not address the basic problems of the farmers in the production, but in fact worsen it," said Dr. Medina. "On the other hand, many farmers succeed in improving their rice production through organic farming.
"Organic farming does not only help us lessen the production cost, it also provides safe and healthy food," said Gil. "It is an effective strategy that protects the environment and the welfare of the small-scale farmers as well.
For more than 20 years, MASIPAG has been collecting, conserving and improving traditional rice varieties, with the number of seeds saved now amounting to more than 2,000 varieties, all planted and conserved by more than 30,000 farmers in the country. Small-scale farmers are also trained on rice and corn breeding and the on the production of organic fertilizers, using only the available resources in the farm.
We hope that the DA is serious in their decision to promote organic fertilizers and eventually implement sustainable agriculture for the country's over-all agricultural production program," said Dr. Medina.
PRESS RELEASE / 14 November 2008
Reference: Dr. Chito Medina, National Coordinator
(+63-917) 544-2196
[1] MASIPAG is a nation-wide network of farmers, scientists and NGOs working for the empowerment of poor farmers through community-based genetic conservation and innovations in sustainable agriculture (SA). We promote and protect the farmers' rights over seeds, technology and traditional knowledge as means to achieve food security and sufficiency. As of 2006, we have more 560 peoples' organizations, reaching to about 35,000 farmers all over the Philippines practicing SA and enjoying a healthy, chemical-free life and control over their resources.
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