By PR | 08:47 PM November 13, 2023
The 2nd Bohol Agriculture Festival opened on Nov. 13 with 17 organic agriculture farming practitioners exhibited their produce ranging from rice, vegetables, fruit tree seedlings, cacao, herbs, mushroom, among others.
Marilou Escalona, president of the Kapunungan sa Bol-anong Organikong Mag-uuma (KaBoOM) welcomed exhibitors and organic agriculture stakeholders at the Bohol Showcase Center in front of Bohol Wisdom School.
“Our goal is for all Boholanos to plant their own vegetables and to produce their own food,” she said of the organic agriculture movement that has since grown into 200 members since its inception in 2014.
During the occasion, the Agricultural Training Institute through Regional Director Grace Arado turned over P1 million to the provincial government through Oscar Valles, representative of Gov. Aris Aumentado, for the Province-led Agriculture and Fisheries Extension Systems (PAFES) program.
Valles expressed Aumentado’s pride in the organic farm produce displayed during the festival with the latter’s leadership prioritizing agriculture development to attain climate smart agriculture as espoused in the strategic governance roadmap.
Aumentado earlier signed Executive Order No. 30 creating the Technical Working Group to facilitate support for organic agriculture.
Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) member Lucille Lagunay of first district shared SP initiatives to enforce anti-GMO legislation, support financial measures for farmers to transition to organic practices and invest in programs that empower farmers with knowledge and skills for organic cultivation.
Also present during the activity were Liza Quirog, provincial agriculturist, Tagbilaran City Councilor Malvin Torralba, Fulgencio Ugay of the Department of Agriculture and Nunila Pinat and Ric Oblena, Governor’s Office agriculture consultants.
Aside from the organic product showcase, the three-day festival also features a Regional Organic Agri Quiz Bee as well as trainings on vermi production, organic soil amendments, stingless bee production, urban gardening, organic cacao production and organic feed formulation.
November is declared Organic Agricultural Month by virtue of Presidential Proclamation No. 1030 issued in 2015. On its 2nd celebration in the province, this year’s theme is “Panginabuhing Organiko, Kaugmaon Segurado”. (PIMO/LMS)
