Originally published February 15 2006
Filipino professor urges farmers to adopt organic farming practices
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
In the Philippines, Dr. Rogelio Colting, president of the Benguet State University, advocates organic farming as a means of protecting local small farms from the effects of imported produce.
Organic farming is the way to go if local farmers are to compete with the rush of imported produce into the country brought about by trade liberalization, according to Dr. Rogelio Colting, president of the Benguet State University (BSU) here.
Colting said there is a growing market for organically grown fruits and vegetables with more and more people becoming conscious of their health.
In fact, because of the high demand for organic food and insufficient supply, organic products rake in more income for a handful of organic farmers.
"In 1983, Baguio cabbages were sold at P35 per kilo in Davao while organic cabbages were sold at P65," Franco Bawang, BSU vice president, said.
Colting said: "Organic farming could save the vegetable industry in the Cordillera.
People are becoming conscious of what they are eating.
But we lack farmers who are willing to go organic."
on Jan. 13-14 as part of the campaign to convince more farmers to shift from conventional farming to organic farming.
BSU will also launch its organic university program, a consolidation of university-wide efforts towards organic farming, on Jan. 9.
The program is a response to the global concern on environmental degradation and food contamination caused by harmful chemicals.
It aims to establish ecologically safe concepts through organic principles and practices.
To demonstrate the concept of an organic university, seven healing gardens will also be opened on Jan. 9 at the BSU compound here.
"This is a group of small gardens---of flowers, vegetables, salad crops, herbs, fruits, cactus, and a pond where people can draw positive energy and experience some kind of healing," said Marlene Atinyao, dean of the College of Agriculture and chair of the Task Force on Organic University.
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