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First Posted on Inside Mindanao (www.insidemindanao.com) on July 20, 2008

Farmers in two villages in Zamboanga City shift to organic farming
By Khamar Amsain

ZAMBOANGA CITY—In Barangay Bunguiao, Zamboanga City there are already two villages or communities which utilize organic fertilizers and organic pesticides on their crops. These are Sitio Udjung and Sitio Waray-Waray.

According to Lourdes Limen and Jesus Lavacanacruz, presidents of the associations called CONRISIMA Upland Farmers' Association (CUFA) and Udjong Upland Farmers' Association (UUFK), owing to the use of organic fertilizers and organic pesticides on crops, many of the members of their respective associations were able to save money, increase their income, and their harvests increase.

Most of the farmers in Sitio Udjung and Sitio Waray–Waray plant vegetables.

Because of the use of organic fertilizers and organic pesticides on crops, it is now safe for consumers to eat vegetables as these have no synthetic chemicals and guaranteed no negative effects to the body, this according to the said community leaders in Barangay Bunguiao.

At present, according to the City Agriculture Office in Zamboanga City, only few farmers use organic fertilizers and organic pesticides on their crops.

Based on the documents from the City Agriculture Office, most of the farmers today use synthetic chemicals for faster harvest and faster income.

The farmers in Sitio Udjung and Sitio Waray–Waray were given the opportunity to learn how to make and use organic fertilizers and organic pesticides without spending money through the assistance of Western Mindanao State University–Reach Out to Others Foundation Bunguiao Eco-Farm Park (WMSU-ROOF BEFP).

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