DA allots P900M for 2011 organic agriculture

The Department of Agriculture on Wednesday said it will allot an initial P900 million next year to boost the country’s organic agriculture program. Agriculture Secretary Proceso J. Alcala, in a speech during the 7th National Organic Agriculture Congress in Lucena City, said the money will be used to jumpstart the “Organic Agriculture Act of 2010" or Republic Act No. 10068. RA 10068 seeks to create the National Organic Agriculture Board (NOAB), a policy-making body that will provide direction and general guidelines for the implementation of the national organic agriculture program. Alcala said the DA funding will help address major issues concerning the program including policy formulation and registration, accreditation, certification, and labeling; research and development; promotion; and program implementation and provision and delivery of support services to farmers and other stakeholders. Alcala authored RA 10068 when he was the representative of Quezon’s 2nd District during the 14th Congress. Meanwhile, a special award was conferred, during the Organic Agriculture Congress, to 77-year-old farming advocate and native rice breeder Perfecto Vicente of MASIPAG (Magsasaka at Siyentipiko para sa Pag-unlad ng Agrikultura) for his valuable contribution in promoting sustainable agriculture, particularly in breeding and propagating native rice varieties nationwide. — VS, GMANews.TV