In its continuing commitment of providing technical and material assistance to farmers in the countryside, the Bureau of Plant Industry-La Granja National Crop Research, Development and Production Support Center in partnership with the Negros Nine Human Development Foundation, Inc. (NNHDFI) conducted a training on Organic Production of Cereals and Field Legumes from March 16 to 17, 2017 at San Columbano Training Center, Sitio Bantolinao, Barangay Tan-awan, Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental.

 BPI-La Granja NCRDPSC technical staff gave lectures on organic practices to equip the  49 participants with knowledge and skills on best practices for organic cereals and field legumes and provide them with information on organic agriculture as well as how to become a certified organic farm.  In addition, a technology demo on soybean utilization such as making of soybean patties, soymilk, tokwa and polvoron was conducted.

Hands-on field demo was done on the second day wherein the participants planted corn, upland rice, mungbean, soybean and peanut following  the recommended practices lectured during the previous day.

 During the closing ceremony, BPI-La Granja NCRDPSC Center Chief Ms. Milagros B. Abaquita reiterated the importance of Organic Agriculture in crop production as well as in health and wellness.  Rev. Father Brian Gore, President of Negros Nine Human Development Foundation, Inc. encouraged the farmer participants to improve their farming practices especially that they have been provided with technical information and material assistance (organic corn, rice, soybean, mungbean and peanut seeds).    

This is also the start of partnership between BPI-La Granja NCRDPSC and Negros Nine Human Development Foundation, Inc. Two succeeding trainings will be conducted for the next quarter to boost the technical know how and skills of organic farmers and increase their productivity and in time achieve food security.   (Written by: Doris Paz I. Discaya)