Farmers in Negros Oriental have been urged to adopt organic methods to produce healthy and chemical-free food products, non-government organization PAGBAG-O said yesterday.

Executive director of PAGBAG-O Mary Anne de la Raya said NGOs are working with farmers in strongly pushing for organic farming in the upland communities.

She disclosed that 32 families in Mabinay town are using organic fertilizer to produce rice, and they put up a bio-fertilizer facility producing organic fertilizer.

De la Raya said they target 100 families to adopt organic farming in the town in three years. Mabinay is one of their six pilot campaign areas, along with Ayungon, Bais City , Sibulan, Siaton and Bayawan.

Organic farming has proved to be instrumental in augmenting the farmers' income, de la Raya said, relating the experience of Lucy Casipong, a farmer in Mabinay, who owns a 9,000-square meter farm.

Before using organic fertilizers, de la Raya said Casipong's farm production was at 25 sacks of rice, with a total production cost of P10,000 and a net income of P5,130.

When Casipong started using organic fertilizer, her production was pegged at 40 sacks with a total cost of P13,770.

Connie Pino of the Sibol ng Agham at Teknolohiya, on the other hand, stressed the need to educate the farmers on the importance of switching to organic farming.

NGOs working with farmers in the province will hold the Central Visayas Sustainable Organic Agriculture Fair on Nov. 12 to 14, at the Quezon Park , Dumaguete City .

It will exhibit all-organic products from fruits to crops and even home décor, Pino said. The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority will also conduct demonstrations on their processed products.

The fair is in coordination with NEGORNET, the city government of Dumaguete and the provincial government of Negros Oriental.

Under its Medium Term Philippines Development Plan, the national government aims to develop at least two million hectares of land for agribusiness.

It is envisioned to contribute two million out of the 10 million jobs to be created by 2010, Pino said.*RG

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