Celebration of Organic Agriculture Month kicks off through Urban Gardening & Edible Landscaping Contest
In line with the declaration of November as Organic Agriculture Month through Proclamation Number 1030 by the President of the Philippines and to further promote, propagate, develop and practice organic agriculture in our region, the Regional Organic Agriculture Program (ROAP) is currently conducting contests on Urban Gardening and Edible Landscaping in support to the department’s program of Plant, Plant, Plant.
The project was initiated to keep -up with the increasing need for food and to ensure availability while promoting a healthy lifestyle. It also promotes organic agriculture as a production system and alternative food security strategy for urban dwellers. The project also aims to establish seven edible landscape demo garden in our region.
The contest covers four categories on individual urban dweller level, barangay level, provincial level and research stations. There is a training component for the establishment of edible landscaping wherein the individual contestants are trained through group demo. Each participating individual were given starter kits such as vermicompost, organic seeds, flowering plants, garden tools, fertilizer, seedling trays and other implements.
Criteria for judging for the gardens will be based on its production capacity and the bayanihan spirit adopted to sustain the garden for a period of six months. The gardens will also be judged on their aesthetic value, nutritional value, economic value and bayanihan value.
Aside from the various contests that are conducted, an information caravan will also be organized to draw public attention through motorcade and distribution of brochures which contain information about organic agriculture.
For 2020, Regional Organic Agriculture Achievers will be honored including the province of Nueva Ecija as Outstanding Province, Mr. Bernardo M. Valdez as Outstanding Provincial OA Focal Person, Municipality of Castillejos in Zambales (Outstanding Municipality), Ms. Janice Sardo (Outstanding Municipal OA Focal Person), Mr. Emilio Sumigcay (Outstanding Organic AEW), Ms. Marilou Facun for being Outstanding Small Farmer Individual, Mr. Jay Four Javier as the Outstanding Young Farmer and Association of Tarlac Organic Producers (Farmers Group).
The culmination of these events will be held on November 27, 2020 at the ROS Lowland, Tarlac City.