An alliance of 24 non-government and people's organizations in Oriental Negros have manifested their support for government's move to make Negros an organic island.
Greg Fernandez, co-chairperson of the Oriental Negros Alliance for Organic Island, said the alliance is willing to actively work "for the realization of a genuine Negros Organic Island as our contribution to the attainment of sustainable development for the people" of the island.
Officials of the Negros Oriental and Occidental last year agreed to work together to make the island a major producer of organic food.
A series of meetings for the purpose have already been conducted.
Both provinces are now buying cattle from Australia. The idea is to propagate and fatten the cattle that will be fed with organic materials and to provide livelihood to the people. The manure of the cattle will also be developed as an organic fertilizer for plants.
Fernandez said the alliance is requesting a dialog with Negros officials to determine the role of NGOs and POs and the stakeholders to realize the goal.
In a written declaration, the alliance declared that, "Organic agriculture is the appropriate direction and strategy to adopt in order to address problems of rural poverty, economic underdevelopment, food security, health deterioration and environmental degradation."
Fernandez also said that the alliance underscores its opposition against the use of genetically modified organisms and suggested for the enactment of an ordinance that prohibits their use.
The alliance also suggested the "institutionalization of Internal Quality Control System for organic standards, prioritization of support to agrarian reform beneficiaries in conversion to sustainable organic agriculture, and enforcement of environmental laws" to protect the environment and natural resources of the island.
