In celebration of Organic Agriculture Month, the Davao City Agriculturist Office (CAgrO) is intensifying its information, education, and communication (IEC) campaign by conducting orientations in schools on organic agriculture awareness on Nov. 18.

Jeana Ablen, CAgrO focal person for the Organic Agriculture program, announced the initiative on Tuesday, with the school orientations covering topics such as food safety, environmental issues, and biosecurity protocols.

In addition to the orientations, the program will provide various services to residents, including the distribution of seedlings and educational sessions on food safety.

“We invite Dabawenyos to participate in events celebrating Organic Agriculture Month. The official kick-off will take place at the Rizal Park Pavilion on Nov. 7,” Ablen said.

Presidential Proclamation No. 1030, issued in 2015, designates November as Organic Agriculture Month to highlight the importance of organic farming and encourage its adoption as a sustainable means of development, environmental protection, and health enhancement.

During the opening program, Rizal Park will host an Organic Agri Fair featuring processed foods and organically cultivated products. The fair will be every Thursday and Friday until Nov. 22.

The culmination of the month’s activities will include the awarding of winners in the Gulayan sa Barangay (community vegetable farming) contest on Nov. 22, also at Rizal Park.

“The Gulayan sa Barangay initiative, first introduced during the administration of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte, aims to empower Filipinos by enhancing their ability to produce their own food through diverse food production technologies and community collaboration,” Ablen said. (PNA)