The provincial government of Negros Occidental recognized three Outstanding Organic Practitioners during the 15th Negros Island Organic Farmers Festival Governor’s Night at the Capitol grounds in Bacolod City Nov. 23.
Butz Buerom of Bago City was named the Best Organic Farmer Practitioner, Temie Medoranda of Himamaylan City is Best Organic Young Farmer, and Elpedio Dayuday Jr. of San Carlos City as Best Organic Focal Person.
They received certificates and cash prizes from Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson, Board Member Andrew Montelibano – chairperson of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan Committee on Food and Agriculture, and Provincial Agriculturist, Dr. Edmundo Raul Causing.
Lacson, meanwhile, thanked everyone’s consistent cooperation and support to achieve effective, functional, and powerful solutions to the challenges of times.
“In our efforts to advance organic farming and in conformity with this year’s theme, we must also address the question in the minds of some. How will organic farming affect food production? How will organic farming affect the profitability of our farmers business?
“These questions reiterate the role of the government and stakeholders to provide adequate support and opportunities to our farmers. We need to empower and enable our farmers, and it must be our primary goal to enhance the market potential of our organic products,” the governor stressed.
It’s time we think of agriculture as more than just a farmer planting a crop or raising livestock, Lacson said in a Capitol press release. “Agriculture is our tool for lifting people out of poverty, for food security and sufficiency, and even for the preservation of our natural habitat.”
The Governor’s Night was also attended by Undersecretary Zamzamin Ampatuan of the Department of Agriculture, National Organic Agriculture Program director Bernadette San Juan, IFOAM Asia executive director Jennifer Chang and first vice president and NISARD president Edgardo Uychiat, and Provincial Administrator Atty. Rayfrando Diaz, among others. ||
