LGUs urged to establish organic gardens

Ian Ocampo Flora

Reporter

City of San Fernando—Local government units (LGUs) are now encouraged to establish organic gardens
to ensure a sustainable supply of organic produce and encourage communities to be self-sufficient.

In fact, the Department of Interior and Local Government issued Memorandum Circular No. 2019-129
this August 9, 2019 calling on all mayors and governors to promote organic gardens in their respective
areas based on the provisions of the Philippine National Standards for Organic Agriculture.

The DILG issued the circular in response to the National Organic Agriculture Board (NOAB) Resolution
No. 14, Series of 2019 asking the DILG, through its Gulayan sa Barangay Program, to establish organic
gardens.

The NOAB is the front line agency in the implementation of the Republic Act No. 10068, also known as
the Organic Agriculture Act of 2010.

The law was approved and signed on April 6, 2010. According to the said law, organic agriculture
includes all agricultural systems that promote the ecologically sound, socially acceptable, economically
viable and technically feasible production of food and fibers.

It covers soil fertility management, varietal breeding and selection under chemical-free conditions, and
the use of biotechnology and other cultural practices that are consistent with the principles and policies
of RA 10068. It excludes the use of modified organisms or GMOs.

Role of LGUs

According to the NOAB, LGUs have a pivotal role as front liners in the implementation of the Organic
Agriculture Act of 2010. LGUs can come up with ordinances and resolutions that would institutionalize
local Organic Agriculture Programs as strategies to solve concerns on food security, environment, health
and wellness and poverty alleviation.

And with about 80 percent of the poor population in rural areas dependent on subsistence agriculture,
according to the Department of Agriculture, organic gardens can well address issues on food security.

The DILG and NOAB are looking at the integration of the organic gardens into the pre-existing Gulayan
sa Barangay Programs. The Gulayan program is among the hunger mitigation efforts of the government
to encourage communities to become self sufficient by producing their own food.

This is also seen as an answer to affordability issues in food production as well as issues of food security,
environmental concerns and climate mitigation.
However, while there is a law on organic agriculture, not many people in the agriculture sector are
taking advantage of its positive provisions.

The NOAB sees the Gulayan sa Barangay program as the best initiative to promote organic farming
among communities and farmers. Many local government units have their urban and rural gardening
programs, though not many of them focus on organic farming.

In the City of San Fernando in 2018, there was even an inter-barangay “Gulayan sa Kababaihan” contest
in line with the celebration of Women’s Month.

The city sees the involvement of the women sector in promoting community gardens as an effective way
for everyone to have access to garden vegetables. This is also aimed to lessen malnutrition among
children.

Farm produce from organic farms also pose no health hazards as organic farming practices do not use
synthetic pesticide and inorganic fertilizer.

Eco-friendly

One of the only few organic gardens run by a local government unit in Central Luzon is the Gulayan sa
Barangay in Barangay Balibago in Angeles City. Here, the barangay officials run an organic garden
alongside an eco-friendly livestock farm.

The barangay was able to turn a former dumpsite inside Hadrian Village into a community farm were
residents and volunteers tend to vegetable production. Residents receive whatever is produced from
the garden for free.

In Angeles City too, the city government sees urban gardening as an effective way to reduce waste and
recycle certain materials for farm use. Here, the use of recyclable materials such as used tires, and
plastic bottles serve as pots for plants and vegetables.

According to the DA organic farming produces less carbon footprint and poses less impact on the
environment.

Aside from the obvious health and environmental benefits, those who are into organic farming are
expected to have lesser expenses and increased profit compared to non-organic farming