80 Pasil farmers underwent organic farming training for climate change resiliency

Pasil, Kalinga – A total of 80 farmers from the three batches of the season-long Climate Resilient Farm Business School were trained on organic farming to strengthen their coping mechanisms with the threats of climate change.

Agriculturist Rowena Gonnay, in an interview, explained that the local government unit of Pasil led by Mayor Alfredo Malannag Jr. partnered with the Agricultural Training Institute-Cordillera Administrative Region (ATI-CAR) to realize the said program, having recognized the adverse effects of climate change to the farmers. Said agency has been providing various season-long field schools since 2017.

To help the farmers in the municipality expand their local adaptive capacity, ATI-CAR allotted more than P80,000 for the three latest batches while Pasil LGU provided P18,000 as its counterpart.

The farmer-beneficiaries were first lectured on organic farming as a means of mitigating climate change with the integration of Slow Food, the production of naturally and locally grown foods.

“Isunga isuru mi ti organic ta siyempre daan dagiti gardens ken taltalon, masapul nga adda met lang ti innovation ta masurwan da agaramid ti concoction, compost, su adu ti inar-aramid mi nga usaren da idiay garden ken talon da,” Gonnay informed.

As residents of indigenous areas, the agriculturists reiterated their advocacy of using indigenous seeds to preserve their tradition and protect the environment while producing nutritious foods.

“Siyempre nu ti usar gamin ket dagiti hybrid seeds, kasapulan metlang ti chemicals ket nu dagituy bagi mi a seeds, uray han a mausaran ti chemicals, ag-survive ladta,” Gonnay related.

After the discussions, farmer-beneficiaries were deployed for technology demonstration (techno-demo) to the lot donated by farmer cooperators.

With the supervision of technicians, the farmers planted vegetable crops applying the theories and lessons taught.

The season-long field school ended on October 28, 2021, and the 80 farmer-beneficiaries graduated on November 16, graced by personnel of ATI-CAR.

Gonnay hopes that the graduates will be able to sustain organic agriculture, especially the use of heirloom seeds varieties which are resistant to disasters.