4th National Organic Farming Congress in Iloilo City
Secretary Arthur Yap, of the Department of Agriculture is the keynote speaker for the 4th National Organic Agriculture Congress which opens in Iloilo City on October 17-18, 2007 at the Sarabia Manor Hotel and Convention Center. The theme of the Congress is "Converging Thrusts for the Organic Industry Development in the Philippines."
Plenary presentations include representatives from IFOAM, the Department of Trade and industry, PCARRD, BAFPS and the Organic Producers Trade Association.
The global growing demand for safe, pesticide-free and naturally-farmed products has triggered interest on natural and organic farming. Still considered as a budding sector in Philippine agriculture, nonetheless, organic food production belongs to the top ten priority sectors for revenue development in the Philippines (DTI, 2006). Thus, the Executive Order 481 aims to "promote organic agriculture development, conserve environmental resources and promote social equity and product access to foreign and domestic markets."
Plenary presentations include representatives from IFOAM, the Department of Trade and industry, PCARRD, BAFPS and the Organic Producers Trade Association. Other topics in the congress include "Organic Agriculture: A Winning Platform for Rural Development "; "Internal Control System," "Negros: The Organic Island"; "Building Communities through Organic Agriculture"; "Organic Banana: No longer the same Banana";"Nurturing Nature in Farming"; "Organic Rice: Feeding the Community"; and "Muscovado: The Sweet Success".There will also be sessions on Participatory Guarantee System and Organic Farm Conversion and Certification.
Participation in the Congress is by invitation only. For more information please log on to the website of the Bureau of Agriculture and Fisheries Product Standards at http://www.bafps.da. gov ph.or call Lara or Rosemarie at (02)920-6131 or (02) 920-6133.