To assess the performance of the Organic Agriculture Program in the country for the first quarter of the year, the Department of Agriculture conducted the CY 2018 1^st Quarter National Organic Agriculture Program (NOAP) Assessment on April 23-27 in Butuan City.

DA – Caraga hosted the five-day activity attended by Organic Agriculture Focal Persons of every region. The activity also included a farm visit to organic agriculture practicing farms in Butuan City and Surigao del Norte. The regions presented their physical and financial accomplishments. Also discussed during the activity were the things that still need to be done in the course of the implementation of the program.

Based on actual obligation against annual allotment, Caraga Region ranked third in the financial accomplishment for the first quarter.

The program was first implemented in 2010 to promote and implement organic agriculture for better and improved farmers’ income, improved health of farmers and consumers, for environment protection, and a climate change resilient agriculture industry. The program envisions the OA sector contributing to the agricultural growth of the country with at least 5% of the agricultural land areas practicing organic farming.

DA-Caraga Field Operations Division Chief and at the same time  OA Program Focal Person Rebecca R. Atega said that as of 2017, Caraga already has a total of 145 thousand hectares devoted to OA including default areas under coconut.

She also said that at this point, the drive of the program now towards certification and DA provides regular interventions and subsidy for those who will apply for certification.

Among the interventions under the program are production inputs like seeds and fertilizers, farm equipment such as shredders, pinawa hullers and feed pelletizers for the poultry and livestock raisers, technical assistance, marketing support, as well as research and development.