ORGANICALLY-GROWN VEGETABLES

The Municipality of Sta. Catalina, Ilocos Sur, dubbed as the “Vegetable Bowl of the North,” is an agricultural town that produces a wide variety of vegetables like cauliflower, cabbage, eggplant, tomatoes, onions and bell pepper just to name a few.  The continuous practice of using inorganic substances to increase vegetable production has downgraded the quality of vegetables.  Likewise, the soil condition has been degraded considerably and there is a high health risk because of pollution of environment associated with the use of pesticides. The growing desire to preserve the ecosystems by limiting the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides initiated a program which is the adoption of organic farming as a priority.  The municipality has established demo farms to showcase organically-grown vegetables with the aim of creating interests and awareness of the farmers in the practice of organic farming. Mayor Carlos R. Asuncion conceptualized the idea that organically-grown vegetables should be adopted as the One-Town One-Product (OTOP) of the municipality.  A resolution affirming such was duly passed by the Sangguniang Bayan.  In order to produce this product, the farmers are encouraged to practice organic farming.

The Municipal Agriculture Office is doubling its effort in promoting organic farming to the farmers.  Knowing that this program can not be achieved overnight, educational meetings with farmers’ organizations are held periodically focusing the benefits and significance of organic farming.  Vermicomposting is initially established at the Paratong demo farm to produce organic fertilizers.  Vermicomposting converts garbage, manure, vegetation and farm wastes into organic fertilizer which is less costly since the price of chemical fertilizer is sky-rocketing. The benefit of organic farming is that it helps in the preservation of the environment.  This happens because farmers will no longer use harmful chemicals and put these into the ground. The land which they have worked on can be planted by the next generation because the land that has been cultivated for so long is still fertile.  As the soil’s health improves, optimum plant health is maintained and yields are maximized. The goal of organic farming is sustainable agriculture with the aim of enhancing environmental quality and the natural resource base upon which the agricultural economy depends.