The City Agriculturist Office (CAgrO) on Thursday urged the organic practitioners in Davao City to certify their products at the Davao City Participatory Guarantee System (PGS) to ensure their products undergo organic practices.
The PGS, as defined by the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM), headquartered in Germany, “are locally focused quality assurance systems.”
Under the PGS, an organic farmer is examined by a peer network of organic farmers and stakeholders that verify compliance with established standards.
Jeana Ablen, focal person for CAgrO’s Organic Agriculture Program, encouraged organic practitioners to join a group to be inspected and certified.
“Diri sa Davao City naa ta’y accredited nga organic certifying body, sila naa na’y katakus nga mu-certify, inspect and mu-certify ug muhatag ug certification nga ang inyong uma is organic ang practice,” Ablen said over Davao City Disaster Radio (DCDR).
Ablen said this certifier is located in Los Amigos, Tugbok District, Davao City.
She added that the Davao-PGS will also give certification to small organic farms and farmers.
Ablen said that this is a significant opportunity for organic farmers to certify their products.
She added that this is also encouraged by the Association of Davao Organic Advocates and Cagro because in the past, what was only considered was the third-party independent entity.
In 2016, before the adoption of the PGS, the only available certification was from the Organic Certification Center of the Philippines, which costs P25,000 to P40,000 per organic commodity, with annual renewal.
