All Research Stations of the Department of Agriculture Regional Field Office 2 (DA RFO 2) has been certified in full to be producers of organically safe food, food products, fertilizers, seeds and feeds.
“This is in response to our quest to practice organic agriculture and to have buffer zones for planting materials. Southern Cagayan Research Station, Cagayan Valley Research Station, Northern Cagayan Research Station, Cagayan Breeding Station SCRC Annex, Batanes Experiment Station, Nueva Vizcaya Experiment Station and Quirino Experiment Station are all recipients of the certification issued by the Organic Certification Center of the Philippines,” Mr. George Caday, Regional Organic Agriculture Focal Person said.
Following the requirements needed to have ready and available source of agricultural inputs such as plant materials and seeds, the research stations too cascaded trainings to cooperatives as well as farmers’ associations.
These too received formal recognition from the Organic Certification Center of the Philippines (OCCP).
Agrizkaya Cooperative Federation, Willy’s Integrated Farm, IT Pascua Agri Products, and Vizcaya Fresh Inc were given certification by OCCP for crop, fruit, legumes, leafy vegetables, herbs and spices, grains, rootcrops, grains and perennial production.
Organic farming or organic agriculture is an system that uses fertilizers of organic origin such as compost manure, green manure, and vermicas and give emphasis on techniques such as crop rotation and companion planting. It goes too with the postulates of the food safety act.
Organic agriculture provides everyone involved with a good quality of life, and contribute to food sovereignty and reduction of poverty. It aims to produce a sufficient supply of good quality food and other products.
This development gives another feather to DA RFO2’s cap, the feat of having all its stations OCCP certified being the 1st to jump over the rest if the Regional Offices all throughout the country.
DA RFO 2 was adjudged number 1 Nationwide in Q3 assessment, No 1 in its Livestock Q3 and lately, its High Value Crop Dev Program as No 1 Nationwide.
