The Organic FIELDS Support Program (OFSP) Phase 1
    The global food crisis brought a significant policy shift in Philippine agriculture. The Department of Agriculture (DA) linked up with NGOs, POs, LGUs and the academe to get insights on how they can collectively address the problem of food self-sufficiency and rising costs of chemical inputs. In response, sustainable agriculture advocates and practitioners from various sectors organized and launched Go Organic! Philippines on August 8, 2008. In the event, DA Secretary Arthur C. Yap publicly announced government’s commitment to sustainable agriculture in conjunction with DA’s Rice Self-Sufficiency Program known as FIELDS. To concretize government’s commitment for sustainable agriculture in the country, a Memorandum of Agreement between the DA and Go Organic! Philippines, for Phase 1 of the Organic FIELDS Support Program (OFSP) was signed on November 5, 2008. This is a preparatory stage for the immediate conversion of ten percent (10%) of DA’s FIELDS target into organic rice farming; and, develops a core of farmers knowledgeable on organic fertilizer production and sustainable agriculture technologies. 3 Good Reasons to Go Organic!GO ORGANIC! for Health - We are what we eat. Organic food products are healthier simply because it’s chemical-free. Organic farming also means healthier farmers since its steers them clear of toxic and chemical exposure. GO ORGANIC! for the Environment - The less chemicals we use, the better odds we give our planet to re-green. Organic farming contributes to a greener and livable planet.
GO ORGANIC! for Profit - Farmers must profit. The less dependence on costly chemical inputs the better chances of profit. Organic farm inputs provide job security for farming communities and food security for Filipinos. OFSP Phase 1 Components1. From the Ground Up: Developing organic communities Sustainable agriculture and organic fertilizer production technologies will be shared to at least 600 farmers in seven rice producing cities/municipalities across the country. Partnerships will be forged among LGUs, NGOs, local farmers’ organizations, DA units and the private sector for collective initiatives promoting sustainable agriculture at the local level. The Philippine Rural Reconstruction Movement is the lead implementor for this component. Season-long training on Organic Farming. Farmers will undergo trainings that coincide with the dry cropping season using popular education and adult learning approaches to enable farmer initiators to be effective practitioners. Learning Farms. Rice farms of at least one hectare owned or managed by the LGU or farmer will be transformed into learning farms. Farmers will experience hands-on exposure and experiential learning on organic farming and the System of Rice Intensification (SRI) production systems, organic fertilizer production and nature farming. Program Sites. Organic communities to be developed include Albay (Tabaco City), Bataan (Samal and Dinalupihan), Camarines Sur (Baao), Mindoro Oriental (Naujan), Nueva Ecija (Guimba) and Pangasinan (Alaminos City). 2. Groundwork Spread: Launching the Quad-Media & IEC Campaign *The nationwide information and promotion campaign will be launched with the aim of making “organic” a household word by highlighting the benefits of “going organic,”- health, environment and increased farmer’s incomes. The La Liga Policy Institute is the lead implementor for this component. *Go Organic! IEC Materials and Website. Promotional brochures, videos, poster-calendars will be developed for farmers, consumers, LGUs and policy making bodies. These, with stories and features, shall be contained and downloadable in the Website. The site acts as the online resource center of the project. *Go Organic! TV and Radio Program. Success stories on organic farming, products and businesses will be featured. Resource persons will be invited as guests. Aired weekly over national TV and radio, it will be an interactive show using phone or Infotext. Both will have a “How To’s” and practical tips segment on organic agriculture. *Organic FIELDS SMS Hotline. Our SMS hotline via Infotext will provide instant answers to queries on organic farming and requests for materials. Through Infotext, we can inform farmers, LGUs, NGOs, POs, and advocates about the latest activities and program updates. International Fair and Special Events. The OFSP Phase 1 will culminate in an International Fair in March and will feature organic products from agricultural producers nationwide. Special events will also be conducted at the program sites to highlight local activities and initiatives. 3. On Solid Ground: Pursuing Research and Development A Research and Development (R&D) Team composed of experts from the UPLB College of Agriculture will work on establishing baseline data, provide scientific and quantifiable data and analysis on shifting to organic farming as well as document best practices from the field. R&D will be conducted in two program sites – Alaminos City, Pangasinan and Baao, Camarines Sur. This component will be implemented by the UPLB Foundation. Read in Filipino Version | Read in Bicolano Version
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