In these times when organic foods are increasingly gaining approval among health-conscious people, more and more farmers are going into organic production.

For the farmer-members of the Kilolog Multi-Purpose Farmers Cooperative (KIMFACO) in Magsaysay, Davao del Sur, producing organic rice has become very rewarding as they have not only found a sure market for their produce, but likewise preserve the well-being of the people in the community. That is because they have already withdrawn from the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides in rice farming which pose health and environmental hazards.

With the initiative from the local government unit of Magsaysay in partnership with Don Bosco Diocesan Youth Center, Inc. and with the grant aid from the Canadian Government, organic rice production was proposed in 2002 as one of the flagship projects under Magsaysays Sustainable Agriculture Program.

Commercial production of organic rice took off in 2003 when initial harvests were sold at the community level. At first there was difficulty in introducing organic rice to the consumers due to its higher price (current price is P40 per kilo). Again with the assistance from LGU, organic rice was repackaged and was given the brand name MagRice, which stands for Magsaysay Rice.

HOW MAGRICE IS PRODUCED
MagRice, as claimed, is organically grown by the farmer-partners in the community. Carlos C. Ortiz, program manager, says that farmers adopt biodynamic and Korean natural farming methods and preparations by using indigenous materials and preparations. These include milk and honey spray, detoxified rice seeds, natural minerals, composts and herbs.

Milk and honey spray, according to Ortiz, is traditionally used by farmers in European and Western countries for their orchard. Here in the Philippines, it is the first time that milk and honey spray is used for rice production, he said. The concoction can attract natural enemies in the field, improves aroma and grain quality, and claimed to make the grains heavier.

On one hand, the use of detoxified rice seeds (seeds produced from third to sixth croppings) is aimed to make sure that the resulting crops will be free from the traces of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides. The farmers carefully practice roguing or elimination of mixes to preserve the purity of the seeds. Only the traditional inbred varieties from International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) and Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) are planted by farmer-partners.

Relatively, measures are adopted to prevent contamination of the crops. One of which is building buffer zones by planting vegetables along the paddies and constructing canalets at every boundary.

The farmers were also taught on soil nutrient management and development. They practice composting and making organic fertilizers right at their own farm. They also apply natural minerals such as crystal quarts to meet the mineral requirement of the crops.

Korean technologies such as the use of fish amino acid, plant enzymes and juices to supplement nutrients are continuously practiced.

GOOD YIELD
By adopting the recommended technology for MagRice, yield stands at three to 4.5 tons per hectare (t/ha) for farmers who are first time in organic rice farming, and 5 to 5.5 t/ha for those who are into organic farming for quite a longer time.

DEMAND IS INCREASING
On the average, 50 bags of MagRice are sold in every outlet per month. Currently, there are two authorized distributors of MagRice in Magsaysay. The demand increases during lean seasons when some of the consumers turn to organic rice for their rice requirements.

One typical problem encountered in organic rice production is the low supply. To address this, farmer-partners are being encouraged to sell their produce directly to the co-op to maximizc their profit. The farmers are insured of good price for their organic palay which is bought at a higher price per kilo.

At present, there are approximately 3,000 rice farmers in Magsaysay. Out of this number, 143 farmers are into organic farming.

MARKETING
One marketing strategy developed for MagRice is selling it at the government and private offices. LGU Magsaysay also continuously promotes MagRice by attending trade fairs in the province and nearby provinces. And it did not take long before MagRice became one of the bestsellers in these trade fairs.

MagRice is available in 2, 5, 25 and 50-kilogram packaging. One can choose from aromatic rice, long grain softy white rice, red rice and fancy rice.

Organic production yields are often lower because the farms do not involve the use of artificial fertilizers, pesticides and other technological aids. Also, labor intensity is greater and many organic farms are smaller than conventional farms, thus missing economies of scale. However, in the last decade, responding to the growing demand, mainstream grocers are stocking more organic produce, milk, baby food, and meats, while healthy-food chains have opened dozens of stores. Many people are prepared to accept the extra cost and pay the extra money largely on the grounds that they believe organic foods are more nutritious and safer than foods produced by conventional methods, and are be less harmful to the environment and to food producers. Generally, it is believed that organic production reduces health risks and especially for pregnant women and children, the benefits of organic are worth the higher price. Going organic whenever possible for fruits and vegetables that carry the heaviest pesticide load makes sense for these vulnerable groups of consumers. Some suspect that high doses of pesticides can cause neurological or reproductive damage. With infant reproductive organs still forming and the brain developing and with young immune systems less able to rid bodies of contaminants, eating organic is more important for children and pregnant or breast-feeding women. Furthermore, levels of antioxidants potentially important substances in human nutrition in addition to vitamins and minerals have generally been reported to be higher in organic foods. This may be because these natural chemicals are produced to protect the plant against insect pests, and organic crops have less pesticide protection. Another theory is that the faster growth in artificially fertilized crops causes the plant to concentrate resources for growth rather than production of these antioxidants. An additional argument used in support of organic food is that it ‘tastes better’. A report by the highly respected Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) concludes that organically grown (golden delicious) apples were found to be firmer and received higher taste scores than conventionally grown apples. Another study showed that organic tomatoes were sweeter and organic carrots had more “carrot taste”.

While the emerging information so far does suggest higher levels of some nutritional components in organic food, the basis for human health advantages of consuming organic foods has to be further developed. Many nutritionists say that a well-formulated diet, organic or not, is all that is required for sufficient intake of health-giving nutrients. Supporters of organic food argue that with consistent consumption, even small advantages could be significant over time. This can only be answered by appropriately controlled scientific studies in human populations, which are difficult to accomplish. Assessing the health and environmental benefits of any system requires a full life-cycle analysis with evaluation of benefits and impediments at each stage. For example, although organic agriculture clearly has benefits in preservation of wildlife and habitat, results in less environmental pollution and preserves soil fertility, critics argue that there are also disadvantages compared to conventional food production. As two examples, mechanical energy inputs are greater in organic production and zero-till agriculture, which uses herbicides, may be more environmentally friendly than the mechanical weed control used in organic cultivation. In any case, more sophisticated analyses of the nutritional quality of conventional versus organic foods is required in animal foods as well as plant foods before a more definitive answer is available. Even though organic production is not a perfect solution in science or practice, it will probably always be around, because it adds to the choices available to those consumers who more conscious about the health and safety of food production systems.

Millions of years ago, men and women lived harmoniously with nature which provided abundant food for them. Having no other goal but survival, they had no idea of manipulating an organism or enhancing the organic food into more tasty and palatable recipes. They learned how to find their food by hunting and then later through farming. When people crossed the boundary towards civilization, mass production became a big part of every national economy. Research and development were focused on creating high-yielding varieties (HYVs) and the unnatural method of propagating and producing these varieties.

The choice the human race made in the past is now revealing its lessons. However, these lessons are still veiled to majority of the people. To a few people, they have already decided to go back to organic farming or organic food consumption. To protect the interest of the consumers, organic food certification authorities have been set up in many countries. Many are also following suit.

With the way internet has changed the world, the internet now offers organic food online. Consumers can simply connect to the web, look for organic food online and process the order of organic food online, right at the comfort of their home. The availability of information over the net makes it also possible for consumers to check the authenticity of products claiming to be organic food. Organic certification authority has a list of organic food certified products, suppliers and manufacturers.

Organic food has more vitamins and minerals than ordinary food which contains harmful chemicals as a result of pesticide and herbicide application. A high-yielding variety of carrot, for example, is bigger than organic carrot. However, organic carrot contains more nutrients because it was grown on fertile soil with organic fertilizers.

Organic food, much more organic food online, are usually more expensive than ordinary food. One of the unveiled reasons is that the government subsidizes the more pervasive inorganic agriculture while organic food producers have yet to receive support from government. Since production of organic crops necessitates the use of natural fertilizers and forbids harmful chemicals in pesticides and herbicides, the labor cost is higher. This means controlling the weeds and pests manually instead of simply spraying. The yield is also low as compared to HYVs.

If computed, however, it would always turn out to be more expensive for consumers of inorganic food because part of the people’s taxes go to agricultural subsidies and consumers pay more for their health when they get sick. Organic food consumers are feeding the body with clean elements, therefore, they also have a cleaner and healthy body. Since they have more energy, they have more time to work, less stress and more income opportunities.