Sarangani opens first organic farming institute in Central Mindanao

ALABEL, Sarangani, Philippines – The first organic farming institute in Central Mindanao opened in Malungon town in this province on Monday.

The courses being offered by the privately owned ACES Polytechnic College at the Rio Vista Farm and Forest in Barangay Nagpan there were described by Sarangani Gov. Steve Chiongbian-Solon as the fulfillment of the “dream to make Sarangani an organic agriculture and halal province.”

The institute offers organic farming courses accredited by the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (Tesda), according to Solon.

“This is part of our Sulong Kasaganaan pillar of the Sulong Sarangani convergence program that we have been pushing forward to ensure food sufficiency, food security against the hazardous effects of artificially grown food products/genetically modified organisms, and to make Sarangani an organic-farming and halal province,” he said.

During Monday’s formal opening of the institute, Solon said growing organic crops and livestock has not been as hard as what other sectors have thought.

Ed Cejar of the Sarangani Chamber of Commerce and Industry said the institute would teach farmers high value vegetable culture, free range poultry and ruminant husbandry, upland farming, organic fertilizer and pesticide formulation, and inland fish culture.

“Sarangani is the first province to push for organic farming and halal production,” he said.

As this developed, the provincial agriculture office reported that it concluded a three-day training course on Friday on Open-Pollinated Variety, which was aimed at sustainable yield and bringing down the cost of production.

Jonathan Duhaylungsod, provincial agriculturist, said those that joined the training were also taught about the use of organic inputs and were organized into seed growers association.

The association will be supplying the seed needs of farmers in their villages.