Climate change, organic farming talks highlight Regional Farm Family forum

DUMAGUETE CITY, Philippines — Around 200 participants from the Central Visayas region and Negros Oriental province have gathered in this city for the three-day Regional Farm Family Congress, which aims to address the effects of climate change and promote organic farming.

The event started Tuesday in a forum at a local hotel in downtown Dumaguete with participants coming from the provinces of Negros Oriental, Cebu, Bohol and Siquijor, and the cities of Bogo in Cebu, Dumaguete and Bayawan, both in Negros Oriental.

Dumaguete City Administrator William Ablong, concurrent city agriculturist, welcomed the participants in behalf of Mayor Manuel Sagarbarria, saying that it is an honor for the city to host such event that he described as family-based, family-driven and family-oriented.

Ablong said the family is the basic unit of society and it is imperative to start from there in ensuring food productivity and security and more importantly self-sufficiency. Promoting organic farming is being pushed as part of the city government’s efforts to address climate change, he said.

Ablong noted that agriculture is a key contributor to climate change with the use of chemical fertilizers that emit nitrous oxide, a greenhouse gas that destroys the environment, along with carbon dioxide and methane.

At the same time, climate change impacts on agriculture, specifically farm production and food supply, due to shift in climate conditions, Ablong added.

Participants to the RFFC are members of farmers’ associations, fisherfolk organizations, 4H clubs, Rural Improvement Clubs, Pambansang Mananalon, Mag-uuma, Magbabaul, Magsasaka ng Pilipinas (P4MP) representatives and city and municipal agriculturists, among others.

Director Asterio Saliot of the Agricultural Training Institute of the Department of Agriculture was the keynote speaker of the congress.

Aside from lectures, discussions and inputs from resource speakers on climate change and organic farming, participants will also show their knowledge and skills on how to formulate organic feeds and fertilizers, how to cook duck and fish net making, among others. — (FREEMAN)