Negros Island is the Organic Capital of the Philippines. There’s no doubt about this if you consider the breakthroughs that the organic movement has made since it started
History
The provincial governments of Negros Occidental and Negros Oriental, agreed to make Negros Island as the “Organic Food Bowl of Asia” in 2005. The late Negros Occidental governor Joseph G Marñon and Negros Oriental governor George P. Arnaiz signed a memorandum of agreement in August 4, 2005 to unify Negros Island in achieving Sustainable Agriculture and Rural Development (SARD). The following year, the first Negros Island Organic Farmers Festival was launched and it has now become the longest running organic festival in the country and has been the benchmark of other provinces.
I was very fortunate to attend the first organic festival and since then I see to it that I attend every year. The Negros Island Organic Farmers Festival was a big influence why I started my own urban organic aquaponics garden. Meeting people who are very passionate about sustainable agriculture and organic lifestyle will make you assess how you live and what you eat. Your personal journey towards a healthier lifestyle may not be immediate nor it is easy but a change in paradigm is a big start.
If you haven’t been to the Negros Island Organic Farmers Festival, then you are missing a lot or opportunities. Here are five reasons why you should visit Negros Island Organic Farmers Festival.
5 Reasons to Visit the Negros Island Organic Farmers Festival
1. Learn More About Available Organic Technologies
We are very fortunate in Negros Island because the two provincial governments support and promote organic agriculture. If you want to learn how to start your own organic farm, there are available technologies, equipment, and experts in Negros. These are showcased during the Negros Island Organic Farmers Festival where you can see demonstrations and interact with the experts so that you can choose the appropriate technology for you. While others go to other provinces to learn, we have everything we need right here in Negros Occidental.
2. Visit Organic Farms in Negros
To see is to believe. People are always skeptical and the best way to open their eyes on the the benefits of organic agriculture is to show them that it works. There are various farms in Negros both large and small which have adopted organic agriculture and are still productive. This is breaking the old paradigm that organic agriculture is expensive and only for the rich.
There are usually three farm tour choices. Organic Farm Tour to the South usually include the OISCA silk farm and Santo Domingo Orchard in Bacgo City, and May’s Organic Garden in Bacolod City. To Central Negros is the scenic tour of Salvador Benedicto where you can visit Rapha Valley health and wellness farm, Santa Rosa Sheep Farm, and 303rd IB Organic Farm. You will also get to visit Mambukal Resort where you can trek or take a dip in the warm spring pool. To the North is the tour of Penalosa Farms in Victorias City and a visit to the St. Joseph the Worker Chapel famously known as the Church of the Angry Christ. A visit to Fresh Start Organic Farm in Silay City and their store at The District in Ayala are also included.
3. Help our Small Organic Farmers by Buying Organic Products
When you buy fresh or processed organic products, you are in a way supporting our small organic farmers. Along the value chain of organic products, there are small farmers who do not have the means to market their products directly to the buyers and depend on venues such as the Negros Island Organic Farmers Festival. If you want to buy at a lower price, you go directly to the farmers. But more often than not, these farmers do not have the economies of scale that’s why we still need the processors who are also social entrepreneurs. For them, it not so much about making money but more on helping the small organic farmers earn more from their products. They usually make money not on large profit margins but on volume which means they are buying from a lot of small farmers.
4. Learn More About Our Indigenous People
The indigenous people of Negros who usually live in upland areas and they are some of the poorest in the province if you consider their income. However, they are very rich in culture and theirs is an ancient culture handed down for centuries and if you think about it, they are the original inhabitants of Negros Island. Their life in the hinterlands of Negros is quite fascinating. Despite being exposed to the culture of the lowland people, they still practice their ancient way of life. Get a glimpse of their life and culture during the organic farmers festival.
5. Learn How to Live a Sustainable Lifestyle
What exactly is a sustainable lifestyle? Leading a sustainable lifestyle is to reduce your carbon footprint by altering methods of transportation, energy consumption, and diet. It is using renewable energy, eating organic food which preferably you grow organically in your backyard or farm. You buy products produced locally by artisans, indigenous people, or other producers who practice fair trade. You walk or bike when traveling short distances. Basically, a sustainable lifestyle is going back to basics, using less of our natural resources, and living a healthier lifestyle.
For news and updates, follow the organizers on Facebook and Twitter.
Negros Island Organic Farmers Festival
Organic na Negros! (ONOPRA)
See you there!
