Dolores, Abra – In its pursuit to be an organic agriculture practicing municipality, the local government unit (LGU) of Dolores has recently created its Municipal Technical Committee on Organic Agriculture.
The creation of said committee is meant to further intensify the implementation of projects, programs and plans of the municipality promoting organic agriculture to benefit not only the farmers but specially the people as consumers.
Municipal Mayor Conde T. Turqueza chairs the Committee with members composing of the municipal agriculturist, legislative chairperson and members of the Committee on Agriculture, and representatives from non-government organization, academe, private business and small farmers.
Importance of the practice of organic farming
The practice of organic agriculture, according to Municipal Agriculturist Ursula Ariota, is being pushed to protect the health of farmers, the people of Dolores and the environment.
“Dagituy panagusar ti inorganic pesticides ken fertilizers ket isu met lang ti pakaal-alaan kadagiti adu a saksakit isunga kayat ni mayor nga agsubli iti organic farming ditoy Dolores,” she said.
This in the long run will also increase the productivity of the soil, and this is seen as good measure to reduce pollution and damage to environment saving the town’s natural resources.
“Han tayu man maala ti 100 percent ngem kuna ni mayor nga in-inuten tayu kasi haan tayu met a mabalin nga ikkaten a whole set ti synthetic nu di ket main-inut tapnu mapagsubli tayu met laeng dagituy farmers tayu iti organic farming,” she stated.
Task of the Municipal Technical Committee
The committee is tasked to craft the Municipal Organic Agriculture Program consistent with the framework of RA No, 10068 and recommend for its adoption or ratification by the Sangguniang Bayan.
It is also tasked to coordinate and consolidate all efforts or different National Government Agencies and other stakeholders that are mandated to implement and/or advocate organic agriculture and initiate extensive Information Education Campaign (IEC) in different levels comprehensively promoting the use and benefits of organic agriculture.
Likewise, the committee is also assigned to institute community organizing as program point of entry, hold regular meeting at least once a month or special meeting to discuss and deliberate pressing issues or problems affecting the implementation of organic agriculture program, organize skills development training programs for the local technicians and farmers regarding the practice of organic farming, establish linkage with other national government agencies, NGOs, Peoples Organizations, and the private sector to develop and promote organic farming in the municipality.
Also it is expected to recommend other viable measures and strategies in developing and promoting organic farming, formulate research and development agenda for organic agriculture, and perform such other functions deemed necessary.
Other activities undertaken
The LGU of Dolores, according to Ariota, has also been conducting information education campaigns, meetings and organization of groups of farmers practicing organic farming who also involved themselves in recruiting other farmers.
“Ni mayor met, haanen nga agited kadagiti synthetic fertilizers nu di ket puru dagituy organic ti ipro-procure na nga isu iti iwarwaras mi kadagituy bar-barangays,” she added.
Ariota shared that out of the 15 barangays in the municipality, some farmers in barangays Calumbaya, Pacac, Talogtog, and Kimmalaba are already practicing organic farming.
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