Go Organic Davao commemorates World Food Day
2009-10-15
The Go Organic Davao City, a coalition of nongovernment organizations and grassroot communities advocating for promotion of organic agriculture, is conducting a three-day activity from 15 to 17 October 2009 to commemorate World Food Day.
This year's theme, “Organikong Panguma: Tubag sa Kagutom, Kalisod ug Pagbag-o sa Klima” emphasizes the promotion of environment-friendly and suitable farming system to the changing climate.
The line of activities include showcasing of organic products through an exhibit and trade fair; conducting fora on organic agriculture, solid waste management and impact of agrofuels on food security and climate change; and actual techno demonstrations on organic input processes and home biosystems.
Another highlight will be the Healthy Dinner for a Cause. The proceeds of which will serve two purposes, namely: (1) families of Mamayang Ayaw sa Aerial Spraying members who are currently lobbying in national agencies in Manila, and (2) maintenance of the Organic Center of Davao City.
The World Food Day celebrated every 15th of October, started in 1979, upon the birth of Food and Agriculture Organization and aims “to heighten public awareness of the plight of the world's hungry and malnourished and to encourage people worldwide to take action against hunger.”
The celebration this month comes as a wake up call for all Filipinos particularly policy makers and public officials to realize the impacts of poor disaster preparedness, irrational land uses, deforestation, and weak solid waste management system that help contribute to worsening poverty and hunger. In June 2009, the Social Weather Station survey indicates that the overall hunger in Mindanao rose from 490,000 families in February to 1.3 million families in June, an increase of 18 points from 11.7 percent to 30.0 percent. As of 2006, the National Statistical Coordination Board meanwhile, reported that six out of ten poorest provinces nationwide are from Mindanao. These are Tawi-.Tawi, Zamboanga del Norte, Maguindanao, Surigao del Norte, Lanao del Sur and Misamis Occidental.
The recent disasters in Luzon are not a remote possibility in Mindanao where agrochemical-based plantations and countless mining and logging operations may be found. The national government while dubbing Mindanao as the “country’s food basket” promotes agrofuel crop cultivation and expansion of export banana plantations. These policies encourage land conversion from food crops cultivation to non-food crops farming that threaten food security of Mindanaoans. This is further worsened by opening up ancestral domain lands in the uplands to mining and other so-called development projects which pose grave threat to the island’s environment and rights of the indigenous peoples.
The World Food Day activities will be held at the Organic Center of Davao City, Tionko corner Arellano Streets, Davao City from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
By: AFRIM
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