Farmers taught organic farming at Quezon meet
Jen Jorvina
PAGBILAO, Quezon — Hundreds of vegetable farmers from Benguet, Ilocos Sur, Cavite, Bukidnon and this province and market processors from Manila, attended last weekend the second, three-day orientation program for vegetable production in the country at the Pueblo la Playa resort in Baragay Bantigue, Pagbilao town, this province, it was learned from Rep. Proceso J. Alcala (2nd district, Quezon).
He said the first orientation program was held last March in La Trinidad, Benguet where farmers were taught of organic farming.
The farmers’ primary objective is to share experiences, knowledge, and technologies on vegetable production in the countryside, he said.
Alcala said that the first day of the program held last Oct. 23 was highlighted by a visit to two commercial vegetable (lettuce) farms in Silang, Cavite.
It was followed by a trip to an organic rice farm, a dairy farm, and a fully organic vegetable farm in Tiaong, Quezon where the Southern Luzon State University-Tiaong campus is considered the first organic campus in the country, Alcala said.
"This three-day workshop is intended to determine the long-term direction and relationship of farmers on how to gather the would-be vision and mission of the group," Alcala said.
During an open forum, the participants said they attended the program to learn new knowledge and technologies and to go to organic farming.
A panel of experts who answered questions from the farmers included BSU President Rogelio D. Colting, organic expert and practitioner Dante de Lima, scientist Erwin Ganga and consultant Freddie Figueroa.
source: http://www.mb.com.ph/PROV20081031139479.html
Manila Bulletin Online
It's good that the government actually took time to hold seminars to farmers at a time like this. This seminar is actually a good opportunity for farmers to learn and understand new things with farming. This will really help them attain more knowledge and skills. Actually, organic farming is really good for our nature. Not only does it promote natural things or organic crops, it also helps the users or consumers to have a more healthy lifestyle.
I think the government should give more time to our farmers because they're the ones who really feed us with the crops that they plow. Plus, at a time of crisis, farmers can't rely solely on their main crops like palay or mais because these type of crops grow over months. It's better if they have alternative sources and knowledge in order to help them live their lives in the provinces. I hope the government will continue doing projects like this until all the farmers in the country have joined and participated in farming seminars.
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Wow, this is a great news for our country. It will really help our farmers how to do their job the right way. Aside from crops this seminar will also help them in their everyday life, how they talk properly. At the very least these farmers will be able to learn new things about farming and their everyday life.
Educating our farmers is just right. The government should provide more funds for this kind of service rendered to the rural areas. The people living in rural areas needs more knowledge about practical living. In this way, the farmers in rural areas can improve the way they harvest crops or farm products. They can determine the proper ways and they can avoid things that can harm their products and of course, the consumers. Educating them will benefit them economically and financially. Not only them are benfitted but also the other consumers. This can be considered as one of the primary steps to improve our laborers in the country.
“Kasalanan ng mga mahihirap kung mamatay silang mahirap.” Ito ang katagang sinambit ni Inday Badiday noong buhay pa siya. Madaling sabihin ito para sa kanya. Naghihirap ba siya? Hindi. Pero kung ako ang tatanungin, sa tingin ko’y kasalanan lamang ng mga mahihirap kung mamatay silang mahirap kung bingyan na sila ng pagkakataong makaagpas sa kanilang kahirapan pero wala pa rin silang ginawa. Ngunit kung wala namang mga oportunidad na binigay sa kanila upang maagpasan ang kanilang kahirapan, sa palagay ko’y hindi nila kasalanan na mamatay nang mahirap. Tila ipinapahiwatig ni Inday Badiday na diskarte ang kailangan upang kumawala sa kahirapan. Ika nga, “don’t just work hard, work smart.” Subalit, hindi na possible sa panahon ngayon ang kasabihang ito – una, walang pera at pagkain; ikalawa, hindi nabibigyan ng sapat na tulong ang mga mahihirap upang makaagpas sa kanilang kahirapan.
Sa puntong ito, mahalagan palawakin ang ikalawang dahilang nabanggit. Bumalik tayo sa panahon ng mga Amerikano, noong panahong ipinatupad ni Willliam Howard Taft ang Friar Lands Policy. Ang pangunahing layunin ng nasabing policy na ito ay pigilan ang lumalalang pag-alma ng mga magsasaka matapos ang pananakop ng mga Espanyol. Totoo, naging maganda ang naidulot ng nasabing policy. Isa sa mga pangunahing nadulot ng nasabing policy ay ang pagbibigay ng lupa sa mga magsasaka. Sa unang pagkakataon matapos ang pananakop ng mga Espanyol, nagkaroon ng lupa ang mga magsasakang ito. Subalit, hindi tuluyang nakaahon sa kaihrapan ang mga magsasakang Pilipino nang dahil sa Friar Lands Policy. Kung tutuusin, mas nalubog pa sa kahirapan ang mga kawawang Pilipino. Bakit? Dahil hindi binigyan ng pang matagalang suporta ang mga magsasaka. Ilang halimbawa ang maaaring banggitin. Isa sa mga pagkukulang ng administrasyong Taft ay ang paglalagay ng patubig para sa mga sakahan ng mga magsasaka. Dahil walang patubig, hindi tumubo ng maayos ang mga sinasakang palay at kung ano pa. Di naglaon, namantay ang mga pinapatubong ito. Wala naman kasing pera ang mga magsasakang ito. Kaya kahit na gustuhin nilang maglagay ng patubig, hindi nila magawa. Dahil saw ala silang masaka, wala silang perang maipambayad sa upa sa kanilang lupa. Nangutang ang iba sa mga mayayamang may-ari ng ibang mga lupa ngunit sa pagtagal ng panahon, nabaon muli sila sa utang at nang hindi na nakabayad sa bangko at sa ibang mga nautangan, napilitan ang mga magsasakang ibigay ang kanilang lupa. Saan sila nauwi? Sa kahirapan muli.
Sa puntong ito, mahalagang isipin na maliban sa pagbibigay ng mga oportunidad sa mga magsasaka, kailangan pa irn gabayan sila nang mahabang panahon upang mapalago ang mga tulong na ibinibigay sa kanila. Hindi ko ipagkakailang ang pagtuturo sa mga magsasaka ng organic farming ay isang magandang oportunidad. Mainam ang ganitong hakbang sapagkat maraming mamamayan ang hindi makapagsaka dahil hindi sila marunong. Naniniwala akong ang pagtuturo sa pamamaraan ng pagsasaka ang unang hakbang upang matulungang makaagpas ang mga ito sa kanilang kahirapan. Kung matututo ang mga magsasaka ng tamang pamamaraan sa pagsasaka, at kung makasasanayan nila ito, mas magiging mabilis (efficient) ang pag-produce ng mga palay at tanim na kailangan dito sa Pilipinas.
Subalit, hindi dapat dito tumigil ang pagtulong ng gobyerno. Hindi dapat matulad ang mga nangyayari ngayon sa nangyari noong panahon ng mga Amerikano. Samakatuwid, mainam lamang na bigyan ng karagdagang suporta ng gobyerno ang mga magsasaka. Maaaring magsimula sa paniniguro ng mga lupaing pagmamay-ari ng mga magsasakang ito. Hindi na sikreto sa atin na sa mga nakaraang buwan ay nakararanas ang mga magsasaka ng paghihirap ukol sa pgmamay-ari ng kanilang mga lupa. Nariyang may ibang mga taong kumakamkam ng lupang (ayon sa kanila) ay kanila naman. Mahalagang dito magsimula ang gobyerno upang masigurong walang problemang kakaharapin ang mga magsasakang ito. Dapat bigyan ng titulo ang bawat magsasakang may-ari ng lupa upang masigurong walang kakamkam sa lupa nila.
Maliban dito, mahalaga ring tulungan ng gobyerno ang mga magsasakang magtayo ng mga irrigation systems upang masigurong patuloy ang pagtubo ng mga tanim ng mga magsasaka. Dapat mag-allocate ang gobyerno ng sapat na budget para sa pagpapatayo ng mga nasabing patubig dahil kung tutuusin, tayong mga Pilipino rin naman ang makikinabang sa mga masasaka ng mga magsasaka.
At pang huli, dapat ding patuloy ang pagtuturo ng gobyerno sa mga magsasaka. Mas makabubuti siguro kung tuturuan ang mga magsasaka ng pagtatanim ng iba’t ibang klase ng tanim upang hindi lamang isang klase ang pinatutubo ng mga ito. Magiging malaking tulong ito kung sakaling hindi tumubo ng maayos ang iabng klase ng tanim. Sa ganitong paraan, may iba pang pagkukunan ng pagkakakitaan ang mga magsasakang ito.
Nakatutuwang isipin na gumagawa na ng ilang hakbang ang gobyerno upang tulungan ang mga mahihirap. Sana lang, hindi pabayaan ng gobyerno ang mga taong ito. Paggabay ang importante sa proseso ng pag-ahon mula sa kahirapan. Kung walang gagabay sa mga magsasaka natin, siguradong mahihirapan silang paunlarin ang kanilang buhay. Tutal, makatutulong din naman sa ekonomiya ng bansa kung uunlad ang mga magsasaka, hindi ba? Kung gayon, marapat lang talaga na pag-ukulan ng angkop na halaga ng pera ang pagsasaka.
i think that this is a good idea since farmers really well some of them want to learn but don't have the opportunity. they have nothing to pay and they don't know where to learn or who will teach them. besides doing farm works, they would be taught a lot of things which they can apply with their daily lives. if they are fathers already then it could be a great idea since if they cant afford their children to go to school, with their basic learning they could teach their sons and daughters what they had learned. the gov't should really provide funds for this since it is really beneficial to the farmers and their families...
tama lang na i-educate yung mga farmers natin para marami pa sila matutunan about sa pagfafarm and hindi natin alam baka someday sila na magmay-ari ng farm, in a way natulungan narin sila para makaangat.
When I was in fourth year high school, our batch had this exposure trip to a certain farm in Batangas and we had the chance to plant and harvest rice. My classmates and I enjoyed it a lot. However, if I am to describe the experience, I'd say that it was quite difficult and exhausting working in a vast array of land under the scorching heat of the sun. Doon ko lang napatunayan kung gaano katotoo ang sinasabi ng kanta na "magtanim ay di biro, maghapong nakayuko..". I will not forget the moment when I stepped into that muddy ricefield waters barefooted. Then when I started handling the crops with the crooked bolo, it was only then that I realized how much trouble a single grain of rice could cost a farmer.
That's why I say that the government should really do more for these unsung heroes- our farmers who toil to feed thousands. They do deserve more than what they are getting.
It is not right that they work hard to feed the rest of the people yet they can't even feed themselves (of course, this is an exaggeration.. but i hope you get the point).
As much as I hate comparing the Philippines to other countries, I just can't help but notice the differences. Why is it that in other countries such as the United States, their farmers are well off yet in our country the farmers are poor? Surely, there must be wrong with our system.
Anyway, I congratulate the government for coming up with this idea of imparting more knowledge to our farmers through these seminars and educational trips. It is indeed a great step. I hope that it will not just stop there. And I hope that the government will continue to do more things to improve the situation of our Filipino farmers.
Education is extremely important, thus, that also goes for our Filipino farmers. They should not be restrained in learning new technologies and acquiring more skills for their work, it would be a big benefit for them, and for us, as well. I am pleased that the government still has the time for matters like this despite of other issues that are country is facing and I hope this would progress and continue as the technology also continually advances. This would also be place of interaction for our farmers as they are able to exchange ideas and queries about their line of work and other important topics especially about organic farming.
This is a good news specially to farmers and a great opportunity for them to have. Years ago our country is the top producer of rice in Asia but now we import from our neighboring countries. It is a bad sign and a missed chance for us because here in our country, we have a lot of plains and rice terices and we don't get something from it because we lack farmers, educated farmers to produce crops for the country. We shoulld grab the opportunity for the country to improve.
As I know, the Philippines is an agricultural country and educating farmers is helpful and important for them to learn and improve their knowledge.
However, the government should always support farmers in their job. I like farmers because they are the ones who provide the nutritious food and they also help the economy.
I think it is only right to educate the farmers. Education could help them defend themselves from abuse by more powerful/educated people, and they could also learn new techniques to increase their harvest; which in turn could be used for exporting.
i think it's great that farmers get educated with the basic ropes of their livelihood. its' one way for then to rise up from poverty and succeed. it eliminates or at the very least lessen the instances that they get cheated on by respective buyers of their products. also, i think it gives them hope that they can be good at what they do, that they can give their families a great life, a life away from poverty. the less fortunate should stay poor forever, they should be taught how to succeed in life. i think the main reason why people are poor is because they don't get enough or the right education to choose a path that would help them get out of poverty.
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