Rice is the staple food of Filipinos. So, it should come as no surprise that rice farming plays a significant role in the country’s economy and food supply. With 2.8% of the world’s total rice output, the Philippines is really the ninth-largest producer in the world. Ninety percent of Filipino farmers are engaged in rice production.
In recent years, some of these rice farmers are looking for a system that is not only environment-friendly but also improves their income. This is where organic agriculture comes into the picture.
“Local farmers are now gearing towards the production of organically-grown rice to respond to the needs of healthier living and to the country’s drive towards food security and environmental protection,” said a report from the Laguna-based Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development.
“Organic agriculture is the answer,” pointed out Jessica Reyes-Cantos of the Manila-based Rice Watch and Action Network. “It won’t only retain soil productivity but it can make farming viable. If farmers have additional income from their land, they will continue to plant rice.”
In Davao del Sur, a farmer in Davao del Sur who grows organic rice is Renante Silvano. He allotted almost one hectare, or precisely 0.55 hectares, for organic rice cultivation, while another 1.5 hectares, which he rents, for conventional rice cultivation.
Silvano Farm, as it is called, is located in Purok 27 of Barangay Poblacion, a few kilometers away from the town proper of Magsaysay.
Silvano gives four reasons why he grows organic rice. These are health advantages, soil quality improvement, economic viability, and environmental benefits. “Organic farming aims to benefit the environment and enhance environmental health,” he explained. “Instead of destroying the ecosystem, it helps to manage it.”
Silvano is a believer of organic farming. So much so that he is now certified as a PGS (participatory guarantee system) as specified in the Republic Act. No. 11511 or the Act of Amending the Organic Agriculture Act of 2010. He is said to be the first in Davao Region.
“I am hoping that all young people in the country will get involved or practice organic farming because I believe it will definitely help in employing people, improving our health, and protecting our environment,” said 38-year-old Silvano.
The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), in its report, Organic Agriculture and Food Security, explicitly states that organic farming fights hunger, tackles climate change, and is good for farmers, consumers, and the environment.
The expenses associated with agricultural inputs, such as chemical pesticides and commercial fertilizers, are consistently increasing. Industrialized food systems, however, contribute to fatalities resulting from pesticide poisoning.
A 2020 study indicates that out of approximately 860 million agricultural workers globally, 44% experience pesticide poisoning each year. “This is due to a lack of protective equipment or defective equipment, which increases exposure through skin absorption, inhalation or ingestion,” the study said.
Many farmers are of the opinion that the application of commercial fertilizers leads to increased crop yields. In both the United States and England, the typical contribution of fertilizers to overall yield is estimated to be between 40% and 60%. Conversely, the reliance on fertilizers is significantly greater in developing countries.
Organic farming, according to FAO’s Nadia Scialabba, is “a holistic production management system that avoids the use of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides, and genetically modified organisms, minimizes pollution of air, soil and water, and optimizes the health and productivity of plants, animals and people.”
One good thing about organic agriculture is that it can help mitigate climate change. A 30-year scientific trial shows that organic practices could counteract up to 40% of global greenhouse gas output.
Andre Leu, chairman of Organic Federation of Australia, claims the trial of organic and conventional farming practices has proved that organic practices “can be the single biggest way to mitigate climate change.”
Scientists at the Rodale Institute in the United States have proven that organic farming practices can remove about 7,000 kilograms of carbon dioxide from the air each year and sequester it in a hectare of farmland.
Many advocates of organic agriculture assert that this approach has the potential to nourish the increasing global population. Research from the University of Michigan (UM) revealed that organic farms in developing nations can produce up to three times more food compared to low-intensity farming practices on equivalent land.
Professor Ivette Perfecto, one of the lead researchers of the study, noted that in developed countries, the yields from organic and conventional farms are nearly comparable. On the other hand, the application of organic methods in developing countries could result in a doubling or tripling of food production.
“My hope is that we can finally put a nail in the coffin of the idea that you can’t produce enough food through organic agriculture,” Prof. Perfecto, who is with the university’s school of natural resources and environment, was quoted as saying.
The study also revealed that it is possible to achieve equal or higher yields by utilizing the current amounts of organic fertilizers, without the need to expand agricultural land for production.
Prof. Perfecto finds it “ridiculous” with the claim that people would go hungry if farming went organic. “Corporate interest in agriculture and the way agriculture research has been conducted in land grant institutions, with a lot of influence by the chemical companies and pesticide companies as well as fertilizer companies – all have been playing an important role in convincing the public that you need to have these inputs to produce food,” she said.
In the Philippines, organic agriculture has been practiced since time immemorial but it was not until in 2010 that the government formalized it by signing Republic Act No. 10068 or the Organic Act of 2010.
Going back to Silvano. He said he started growing organic rice in 2004. “I was influenced by my parents,” he admitted. He commenced farming when he was only 14 years old during his high school days. “I love farming because I grew up in a farming family,” he said.
It was his parents who played a crucial role on why he became interested in organic farming. Another one is his educational background. “I’m an undergraduate in Bachelor of Science in Agriculture,” he said. Added to that is the training he attended as he works at the Municipal Agriculture Office of Magsaysay.
According to him, there are several advantages to growing organic rice. For one, organic rice is healthier than those grown conventionally. For another, growing rice organically is good for the environment. Finally, organic rice commands a higher price in the market.
He grows black rice, whose distinctive black-purple hue comes from anthocyanin. It was considered a forbidden rice in the past, particularly in ancient China, as it was off-limits to everyone except the aristocracy.
“Black rice has a high price in the market,” Silvano said, adding that it is very healthy as it contains antioxidants properties, high in fiber and is gluten-free.
He gets his seeds for planting from the Magsaysay Organic Agriculture Cooperative (MOFARMCO). But before planting the area, he prepares the land area thoroughly. He follows the so-called JADAM technology, a combination of traditional natural farming principles, practices, and modern scientific innovations. JADAM, an acronym for Jayonul Damun Saramdul. Actually, it is the Korean name for the organization which means “people who like nature.”
Silvano sprays the field with Trichoderma, a genus of fungi. It is primarily utilized for managing diseases that originate in the soil. This fungus not only aids in disease prevention but also fosters plant growth, boosts the effectiveness of nutrient absorption, strengthens plants’ resilience, and enhances the environment by reducing agrochemical pollution.
Silvano also does the following farm practices: water management, plowing, harrowing, cleaning of dikes, repair of dikes, second harrowing, leveling on rice fields, broadcasting on organic fertilizer, and finally planting.
Rice straw from the previous cropping is incorporated into the soil by using a rice combine harvester. The seedbeds are within the rice field. The seedlings are ready for planting 18-20 days after sowing.
Silvano uses only natural and organic fertilizers. “Using chemical fertilizers in your farm can lead to a significant gross income; however, when you begin to calculate your net income by subtracting all your costs, you might find that your net earnings are quite low. The primary factor for this is the steep expense of synthetic fertilizers,” he said.
He broadcasts the farm with vermicast twice. In addition, he sprays it with soil ameliorants, vermitea (eight times), and a mixture. Earthworms produce vermicast, which are organic fertilizers and soil conditioners, and vermitea, which is a liquid form of vermicompost.
Whenever there are pests and diseases that attack the rice crops, he uses biocontrol agents to control them. Water management also helps in a way.
According to Silvano, the rice is ready for harvesting 118 days after sowing. He harvests about 40 bags of palay from the farm. He brings the palay to MOFARMCO for milling.
Generally, he gets 31.7 bags of unpolished milled rice. He sells 24.7 bags of the milled rice while he retains 7 bags for family consumption.
Silvano sells milled rice at P75 per kilogram. Fresh palay with organic certification costs P30 per kilogram while uncertified fresh palay is P27 per kilogram. “If the price of conventional rice is high, I add P1 for organic rice,” he said.
Silvano Farm is already accredited by the Agricultural Training Institute as a Learning Site for Agriculture. A farm is chosen if it practices applicable agricultural technologies, employs doable farming strategies, and operates successfully.
“People can come to our farm for training,” he said, adding that they need to write a letter first before coming. He allows a minimum of 20 participants per training.
“So far, we have trained more than 400 people already,” he said. “Most of them said they have learned something from our farm.”
According to Silvano, advocating for organic rice farming is beneficial not only for health and the environment but also for economic gain. “The demand for organic rice is increasing, leading to higher prices. Right now, there are few advocating organic rice farming.”
