9/12/2025
ORGANIC
AGRICULTURE
1. OVERVIEW OF
ORGANIC AGRICULTURE
Mr. Arriz L. Cabigting
Mr. Alvin S. Sanchez
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SIGNIFICANCE
◍ A sustainable production system
◍ A rapidly growing sector
(10 to 30% wordwide)
◍ Society are conscious of the need to
preserve and protect the environment
natural life-support systems
◍ Consumers are in search for safe and healthy
food
◍ Food security and poverty alleviation 3
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“Organic Agriculture is a production system that sustains the
health of soils, ecosystems and people. It relies on ecological
processes, biodiversity, and cycles adapted to local conditions,
rather than the use of inputs with adverse effects. OA combines
tradition, innovation, and science to benefit the shared
environment and promote fair relationships and a good quality
of life for all
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involved “
-IFOAM, 2008
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Sustainable Agriculture Vs.
Conventional Agriculture
SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE CONVENTIONAL AGRICULTURE
GENERAL
Long term sustainability Short-term benefits
Internal solution to internal External solutions to internal
problems problems
Emphasis on management Emphasis on technology solution
solution to problems to problems
Responsive to feedback and Detachment
participatory
Sustainable Agriculture Vs.
Conventional Agriculture
SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE CONVENTIONAL AGRICULTURE
TECHNICAL
Low external input High external input
Maintain soil fertility and Use of synthetic compounded
productivity, rely on crop fertilizer
rotation, recycling of crop
residues, animal manure/cover
crops, off farm organic wastes
and mineral bearing rocks
Utilize natural cultural and
Use of pesticide, herbicide, growth
biological controls
regulators, pharmaceuticals, and
Diversified enterprises within livestock feed additive
the farm, crops grown, and
Intensive monocropping 6
cultivars used; biodiversity
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Sustainable Agriculture Vs.
Conventional Agriculture
SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE CONVENTIONAL AGRICULTURE
TECHNICAL
R&D emphasis on farming and Emphasis on individual crop
farming systems approach
Use of modern varieties and F1
Use of open pollinated, preserve hybrids
and conserve traditional and
improved cultivars
Recognizes location specificity Belief in universal technologies
of technologies, use of
appropriate and indigenous
technologies
Sustainable Agriculture Vs.
Conventional Agriculture
SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE CONVENTIONAL AGRICULTURE
ECONOMICAL
Priority is food security Export and profit-oriented
Relies on available Capital intensive, usually need
indigenous farm credit
resource/self reliant
Places high value on human Emphasis on commodity
fulfillment and the exchange in the market
environment
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THE FOUR PRINCIPLES OF
ORGANIC AGRICULTURE
PRINCIPLE OF HEALTH
◍ Health is the wholeness and
integrity of living systems
◍ OA should maintain and enhance
the health of soil, plant, animal,
human, and the planet.
◍ Healthy soils produce healthy crops that foster the
health of animals and people
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◍ OA intends to produce high quality and nutritious food
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PRINCIPLE OF ECOLOGY
◍ OA should be based on living
ecological systems and cycles
◍ Production is based on ecological processes and
nutrient recycling
◍ Inputs should be reduced by
reuse and recycling of materials and energy
◍ Attain ecological balance
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PRINCIPLE OF FAIRNESS
◍ Fairness is characterized by equity,
respect, justice, and stewardship
of the shared world both among
people and in their relations to
other living organisms.
◍ OA should build relationships that ensures
fairness with regard to the common environment
and life opportunities. 12
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PRINCIPLE OF CARE
◍ OA should be managed in a
precautionary and responsible manner
to protect the health and well being of
current and future generations and the
environment
◍ Enhance production and efficiency
without jeopardizing the health and well being of our
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future generation
Organic system is designed to
◍ Enhance biological diversity within the whole
system
◍ Increase soil biological activity
◍ Maintain long-term soil fertility
◍ Recycle plant and animal wastes
◍ Rely on renewable resources in locally organized
agricultural systems
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Organic system is designed to
◍ Promote the healthy use of soil, water, and air as
well as minimize all forms of pollution
◍ Handle agricultural products with emphasis on
careful processing methods to maintain organic
integrity and vital qualities of the product
◍ Be established in any existing farm through a
period of conversion, the appropriate length of
which is determined by site specific factors
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WHY DO WE NEED TO
FOCUS ON ORGANIC
AGRICULTURE?
(Current agricultural practices and
environmental concerns)
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Globally, agriculture uses
60% of the 2.5 trillion
liters of water every year
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Agriculture uses more
than 50% of the habitat
areas of the planet,
including land that
should not be cultivated.
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Worldwide, almost 2
billion ha of land (15% of
the total vegetative soils)
have been degraded
since 1945.
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About 15 M of ha of
forests are cut down
each year; farmers
convert much of it for
agriculture use.
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WHO estimated that 3M
persons are exposed to
single and short-term
pesticide poisoning
resulting in 220, 000.00
deaths per year.
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GREENHOUSE GAS
CONTRIBUTION
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Meanwhile in the
Philippines….
Soil erosion is the most common In 1994, 65% of our total water supply
form of land degradation, 13.5M ha or in the country didn’t meet the
about 45% of the total arable land is standards for beneficial use
affected by soil erosion.
Degraded forests, soil erosion, erratic
About 12M ha or 40.8% of the total stream flow, declining ground water
land area is affected by severe low supply, loss of biodiversity and
fertility (P, K, S, and Zn). declining land productivity
Water demand for agriculture: Outbreak of pests and disease
irrigation 72.6%; livestock/poultry
Heavy application of fertilizers has
sector 0.42%, and the fishery sector
polluted the groundwater resources
27%.
Out of 421 rivers, 50 are considered
as biologically dead from
contaminants
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Key Characteristics of a Sustainable System
◍ Relying primarily on local renewable resources
◍ Making efficient use of solar energy and the
production potential of biological systems
◍ Maintaining the fertility of the soil
◍ Maximizing the recirculation of plant nutrient and
organic matter
◍ Not using substance foreign to nature
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Key Characteristics of a Sustainable System
◍ Maintaining genetic diversity in the production
system as well as the agricultural landscape
◍ Giving the farm animals life conditions that
corresponds to their role and allow them a natural
behavior
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BENEFITS OF ORGANIC
AGRICULTURE
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Environmental Protection Perspective
Improvement of soil Less chemicals, less Addresses climate
fertility pollution change concerns
Organic fertilizer from plant Replacing chemical inputs Diminution of carbon
and animal materials with natural materials leads footprints through tight
improves soil structure, adds to recycliong of nutrients and nutrient and energy cycles
organic nitrogen, and makes use of the biomass in
stimulates growth of the farm.
beneficial soil bacteria.
Protection of Promotion of biodiversity
Prevention of soil
with crop rotations and
erosion and compaction groundwater quality sustainable farming
practices
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Producer’s Perspective
Suffficient production Helps small farmers Inexpensive local
for subsistence and inputs and low
income investments
Builds on knowledge and Use of crop
traditions diversification to
improve income
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Consumer’s Perspective
Ensure supply of healthy, Includes social
safe and nutritios food. considerations based on
The growing demand for its holistic approach
organic products and health People are as important as
consciousness among the organic system. This type
consumers emanate from of social obligation provides
documented cases of added value and appeals to
exposure to heath hazards consumers’ acceptability of
high prices for organic
products.
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The Industry’s Perspective
The organic industry has Value is added to High farm efficiency
a guarantee system organic products imporves
based on certain norms through quality competitiveness
and standards. improvements and on-
farm processing.
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“
“Don’t panic it’s ORGANIC”
- Alexter Gatmaitan
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