Mayor grateful for 1st Mindanao Sustainable Agriculture Congress "a rare opportunity"

by Gideon C. Corgue

PAGADIAN CITY - “I am both happy and proud that Dumingag was chosen by Mindanao Network for Sustainable Organic Faming Systems (MINSOFS)  as the venue on this Mindanao-wide farmer’s activity. Indeed, this is a welcome development on us.” 

This was the statement made by Dumingag Mayor Nacianceno Pacalioga Jr. as the 1^st Mindanao Sustainable Organic Agriculture Congress and Agro-Eco Tourism Fair (MSOAC-AETF) will be held in this town on February 19-22, 2012.

The theme of the fair is “Towards building a stronger sustainable organic agriculture in Mindanao.”

In the Congress, Pacalioga said farmer-leaders will be taught by the organic farming experts to switch back from the conventional farming to organic farming saying that organic farming is a more environmentally friendly and the best and sustainable method of farming.

MINSOFS is a network organized under the support of the Asia Network for Sustainable Organic Farming Technology (ANSFOT) , said Pacalioga.

He added that it is a very rare opportunity for a local government unit being offered to host this activity saying that it help promote the advocacy on organic farming.

 “Our dream is for our farmers to shift to organic farming and to get rid  altogether the traditional method that uses intensive use of pesticides and commercial fertilizers,” he said.

With the adoption of organic farming system, it is not a simple change of technology but a change of the whole farming system and to once and for all prevent capitalists’ monopoly over the life of farmers, Pacalioga concluded.