CCCI, DA to establish certifying body, farms

By Katlene O. Cacho

Thursday, January 12, 2012

THE Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI), in partnership with the Department of Agriculture (DA) 7, will set up an organic certification body early this year to promote organic farming in Cebu.

CCCI chairman for external affairs Nestor Archival announced they have created a program called “Cebu Organic Movement” to oversee and ensure sustainability of organic farming here.

Ready for Sinulog 2012? Check here for updates.

Archival said the DA allotted P300,000 as initial budget for the program. He added, though, that more funds are needed.

CCCI will also partner with the Cebu City Government and the Cebu Provincial Government as it looks for potential areas for demo organic farms. One demo farm needs an area of at least 1,000 square meters.

Archival said the plan is to have one demo farm each in Cebu City, and in the northern and southern part of Cebu Province.

“We intend to grow organic vegetables and fruits and raise livestock in an organic way. This will be a sustainable demo-organic farm,” Archival said.

He said creating a local certifying body on organic products will help sustain the organic farming industry in Cebu.

“The creation of a local certifying body will also increase awareness among locals to develop their own organic farms, which can become a good source of livelihood,” Archival said.

He said farmers are not allowed to sell organic products in malls unless these have been certified.

He said putting up a legitimate certification body will “ease the burden of farmers in getting certification from national and foreign certifying bodies, which is quite expensive.”

CCCI supports organic farming for sustainable agriculture in Cebu. Last year, the chamber held a three-day organic fair and conference to promote organic agriculture.

Mario Panganiban, chairman of the committee on ways and means of Cebu Going Organic, said the activity was meant to promote sustainability on organic agriculture in the province, as well as encourage businesses to venture into organic farming.

CCCI said the creation of a local organic certification body is just one of the many initiatives of the chamber to promote Organic Agriculture Act of 2010 or Republic Act (RA) 10068.

RA 10068 establishes a comprehensive organic farming program that includes incentives for farmers engaged in the production of agricultural crops, which are free from harmful chemical pesticides and fertilizers.

Published in the Sun.Star Cebu newspaper on January 12, 2012.