This method has been called an alternative to the conventional means, yet history says it has been utilized even way before modern means of farming have been formulated.
"In the Philippines, the early rice farmers were basically organic farmers. Today, organic farming is perceived as a backward means of farming, whereas the modern method has become the norm," said Alexander L. Parducho, farm manager at Altermed Corp.
Parducho, a graduate from the University of the Philippines, Los Baños, is a staunch advocate of biological farming, essentially for its essence of utilizing natural means and positive effects on the environment. He said farmers only turned their backs on traditional organic farming in exchange for higher productivity.
Modern methods brought about many changes in farming practices, such as the development of an irrigation system, and the wide adoption IRRI-developed hybrid varieties requiring huge amounts of fertilizers and pesticides.
"Since the ’70s, modern farming methods brought revolutionary changes in the daily lives of Filipino farmers. What they may not know is that some of these supposedly fresh-looking vegetables are not what they seem to be from the outside. While they may look fresh, they are not necessarily all-natural. In fact, they have been sprayed with pesticides. For instance, cabbage and cauliflower which are eaten uncooked in salads are two of the ‘worst sprayed’ vegetable crops," he related.
Parducho said conventional farming greatly affected the country’s resources, the environment and endangered the health of the farmers, their families and consequently the rural communities. Conventional farming brings about toxic substances in the crops and the environment, while organic farming promises sustainable agriculture. Even the rivers where pesticides equipment are washed resulted in the fish and other organisms getting poisoned, bringing about ecological imbalance.
On the other side, organic farming, re-introduced in the ’80s, is totally environment friendly, not only to people but to the soil, and the living microorganisms that inhabit them.
"We use bio-organic fertilizer, which is composed of compost from rice straw (dayami), and cow or sheep manure. We use cow/sheep manure because these animals are given natural feeds like grass, unlike chicken which are given antibiotics and hormones," he said.
Natural compost, meanwhile, can enhance the soil and yield healthier produce. To protect the plants, Parducho said they even use natural pesticides, which are botanical in nature, such as hot pepper (labuyo) and makabuhay. Garlic and ginger meanwhile serve as fungicide, and these are sprayed over other plants to protect them.
"As a result, we support living entities like the microorganisms in the soil. It’s a symbiotic relationship," Parducho added.
Parducho said various non-government organization (NGOs) are spearheading efforts to create awareness about organic farming, but many farmers still use the conventional method. They are tying to convince farmers that synthetic fertilizers can make the soil acidic, and in the long term, barren.
"Organic fertilizers produce the opposite effect. It improves soil texture, fertility and supports the population of microorganisms, which gives the soil natural immunity. All types of arable land can use organic farming. It’s admittedly low-yielding and takes a longer time to harvest, but in the process, it gives the land more stability and the crops are more nutritious," Parducho explained.
At the Altermed’s farm in Sta. Rosa, Nueva Ecija, Parducho said they only use organic farming to produce the medicinal herbs used by the company for its products such as Ascof (lagundi), Re-Leaf (sambong) and Amargozin (ampalaya). Altermed is a subsidiary of Pascual laboratories that specializes in alternative and natural medicine.
"This is a manifestation that organic farming is not only a healthy alternative, but profitable as well. We want to promote organic farming as a more profitable and healthier method of plant production. We are not only farmers but we also have a social responsibility to support living things in the environment," he said.