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June 2010
BAR is focal agency for Organic Agriculture RD&E
by Patrick Lesaca
The Bureau of Agricultural Research (BAR) of the Department of Agriculture (DA) has been tasked under Section 20 of the Organic Agriculture Act of 2010 or the Republic Act (RA) 10068 to lead and coordinate among executive agencies of government who are engaged in agrarian reform, science and technology, and education, as well as interior and local government agencies, strategic agricultural-based state universities and colleges (SUCs), and private organizations to develop, enhance and support and consolidate activities for the formulation and implementation of unified and integrated organic agriculture research and development and extension (RD&E) plans and programs from the national down to the field level.
Under this law, BAR is tasked to create and organize an Organic Agriculture RD&E Network composed of research and educational institutions, local government units (LGUs), non-governmental agencies, and recognized associations of interest groups such as organic fertilizer manufacturers and distributors, agricultural engineers, agriculturists, soil technologists, and farmers. Furthermore, national, regional and provincial organic RD&E centers will be organized, established and integrated as a major component of the existing centers of the DA, Department of Science and Technology (DOST), Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), SUCs, and LGUs.
BAR's assigned work under RA 10068 is in harmony with its mandate and commitment to consolidate, strengthen, and develop the agriculture and fishery R&D system for the purpose of improving its effectiveness and efficiency.
The Organic Agriculture Act of 2010 or RA 10068 provides for the development and promotion of an organic agriculture in the country through a comprehensive program to be executed by the newly institutionalized National Organic Agricultural Board (NOAB), a policymaking body that provides direction and general guidelines for the implementation of the National Organic Agricultural Program (NOAP).
The NOAB is attached to the Office of the Secretary of Agriculture as the Agriculture Secretary is its Chairman. The Secretary of Interior and Local Government will act as its vice chair.
Specifically, the law seeks to promote, propagate and further develop the practice of organic farming in the Philippines which is expected to: 1) increase farm productivity; 2) reduce environmental degradation and prevent the depletion of natural resources; 3) protect the health of farmers, consumers and the general public; and 4)help cut expenses on imported farm inputs. The law also establishes a comprehensive national agricultural program which shall promote, commercialize and inculcate organic-farming methods through farmers' and consumers' education; and the extension of assistance to local government units, peoples' organizations, non-government organizations (NGOs), and other stakeholders.
The term organic as defined under Section 3a refers to the particular farming and processing systems, described in the standards and not in the classical chemical sense. The word organic is also synonymous in other languages to "biological" or "ecological". It, therefore, directly supports biodiversity conservation.
Organic agriculture includes all agricultural systems that promote the ecologically sound, socially acceptable, economically viable and technically feasible production of food and fiber. It dramatically reduces external inputs as it excludes the use of chemical fertilizers, pesticides and pharmaceuticals.
June 2010 Articles:
:: BAR is focal agency for Organic Agriculture RD&E
:: RA 10089 creates Philippine Rubber Research Institute; BAR leads drafting of Implementing Rules & Regulations
:: DA celebrates 112th anniversary
:: Book on FIELDS program launched
:: BAR provides server to PhilAgriNet; agricultural info database launched
:: 2KR Program Gran support BPSU's organic vegetable profuction through protective cultivation technology
:: Balik scientist develops sustainable biofuel
:: Shift to high-yield varieties is the way to go
:: Milking profit from dairy farming through CPAR on processing feeds
:: Tech forum and exhibit to showcase commerciable technologies from agriculture and fisheries research
:: DA-IRRI hi-tech project to boost palay yields
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