The municipality of Lucban, Quezon, the Department of Agriculture Regional Field Office IV-A- Organic Agriculture Program (DA RFO4A-OAP), and National Organic Agriculture Program have spearheaded an information caravan on Republic Act No. 11511 or an act amending the Organic Agriculture Act of 2010.
This came to light after Quezon province has topped the other Region-4A agricultural producers in the region.
An achievement which would demand a constant push toward more productivity from stakeholders in Calabarzon.
As the latest data of the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) had shown, the province produced 70, 487 metric tons of palay or about 49.4% of the total produced in Calabarzon.
Its palay production accounted for a 5-1 percent increase in 2020. Moreover, other Calabarzon provinces produced, 37,043 metric tons in Laguna, 17,031 metric tons in Batangas, 9,585 metric tons in Cavite, and 8,609 metric tons in Rizal.
RA No. 11551 seeks the promotion of sustainable agriculture practices is the immediate priority ofthe law as it tends to protect farmers' health, consumers and the general public and 'promote food self-sufficiency'.
The law created the National Organic Agriculture Board (NAOB) and National Organic Agriculture Program- National Program Coordinating Office (NOAP-NPCO) which were tasked to manage the effective implementation of the National Organic Agriculture Program.
Stakeholders include the director general of Technical Education and Skills, Development Authority (TESDA), secretary of agrarian reform, secretary of trade and industry, secretary of health, three small farmers representatives, arepresentative from a nongovernment organization (NGO), a representative from agricultural colleges and universities, one representative from private sector in the organic value chain, a representative from national sector of Participatory Guarantee System (PGS), a representative from a local government unit, and a representative froman indigenous farmer group.
The law adds, "Section 12. Bureau of Agriculture and Fisheries Standards (BAFS)- The BAFS of the DA shall be restructured, strengthened and empowered to support the objectives of this Act. It shall provide technical assistance to the NOAB and the NOAP-NPCO.