Organic agriculture in the philippines a training manual

Organic Agriculture Program

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The National Organic Agriculture Program (NOAP) is a collaborative document spearheaded by the National Organic Agriculture Board (NOAB) through the cooperation of various stakeholders of the organic industry, relevant national government agencies, non-government organisations, civil society and people's organisations. The program serves as the guide for the implementation of Organic Agriculture activities under the Department of Agriculture and its implementing units. The NOAP also includes a system for evaluation and monitoring as one of the components and implementing strategies.

Following the signing of the Organic Agriculture Act of 2010 (R.A. 10068), a series of activities were undertaken by the NOAB in order to craft the National Organic Agriculture Program which was approved January of 2012. These activities were crucial in developing a holistic, comprehensive and rolling six-year program for the organic agriculture in the country. The NOAP 2012-2016 envisions the organic agriculture sector contributing to the country's over-all agricultural growth and development, in terms of sustainability, competitiveness and food security, where at least five percent (5%) of the Philippine agricultural land practice organic farming; and, where consumers both national and international increasingly support Philippine organic food products.

Essentially, the program aims to promote, propagate, further develop and implement the practice of organic agriculture in the Philippines towards a competitive and sustainable organic agriculture industry that contributes to:

  1. Better farm incomes and sustainable livelihood.Increased farm productivity, reduced expenses on external farm inputs, better incomes for farmers and reduction of poverty in the rural sector;
  2. Improved health.Protected health of farmers, consumers and the public in general;
  3. Environmental protection.Enhanced soil fertility and farm biodiversity, reduced pollution and destruction of the environment as well as prevention of further depletion of natural resources;
  4. Disaster risk reduction and resilience to Climate Change.Improved resiliency to disaster risks and climate change vulnerabilities caused by human interventions and naturally induced hazards; and
  5. Social justice.Meeting the basic material needs and improving standard of living for all, upholding human rights, gender equality, labor standards, and the right to self-determination.

Much is expected from the Organic Agriculture Act of 2010. As a landmark reform initiative for the country's agriculture sector, a systematic development intervention is needed to address the challenges and issues facing the sector including positively contributing to the over-all equitable growth and development of the country.

NOAP Website