From Inorganic to Organic: Initiatives from the Local Government of Malvar, Philippines

Aim: This paper aimed to discuss the development efforts of the Municipality of Malvar towards the achievement of its vision to be Organic Capital of Batangas.

Methodology: It made use of secondary data from Municipal Environment and Natural Resources Office and Municipal Agriculture Office and qualitative methods of observation and interview from different stakeholders such as farmers, municipal agriculture officer, municipal environment and natural resources officer, partner-nongovernment organization, and community residents. Then, an analysis based on organic agriculture sustainability metrics was provided.

Results: As a result, the intensified waste management program had made segregation and collection of biodegradable wastes easier, thus shredding of wastes was made easier also. These shredded biodegradable wastes would be used to feed the African Night Crawler that produced vermicast which would be available as organic fertilizer and later on foliar and insecticide once fermented. The biogas facility, on the other hand, was expected to produce methane gas to promote and adopt organic farming technologies and transfer of technology on renewable energy. Last was the adoption of agro-silvo-pasture technology through planting long term cash crops and raising livestock. Indeed, there was a successful transition from inorganic to organic.

Conclusion: The making of the Organic Capital of Batangas could be realized because of the following factors: First is the strong political will of the LGU to implement the vision; second is the appropriateness of the projects that geared towards the attainment of the vision; third is the participation of the different stakeholders in the implementation of the projects. Thus, the intensified solid waste management of MENRO has resulted to successful vermin-composting producing organic fertilizer subsidy to farmers; biogas technology facility that also produces organic fertilizer for the agro-silvo-pasture technology.