Farming for natural ingredients
gains ground in Laguna, Quezon

FARMING for natural ingredients is fast becoming a trend in the country, owing to the economic opportunities offered by the 20th century "biotechnology revolution."

In Southern Luzon, the provinces of Laguna and Quezon were the latest to join the biotechnology revolution by agreeing to large-scale farming for natural ingredients.

The development came in the heels of the government’s intensified effort to promote the safe and responsible use of traditional and modern biotechnology in the Philippines as spearheaded by the Department of Agriculture.

Director Alicia Ilaga of the Department of Agriculture – Biotechnology Program said farming for natural ingredients in the two provinces gained a shot in the arm as provincial, city and municipal government officials supported the undertaking.

Ilaga said more and more farmers will soon be farming for natural ingredients on top of the traditional crops that they have culture.

The principal reason for this is that producers would earn extra income from farming for natural ingredients.

Plants like atsuete and malunggay are now the buzzword in Laguna and Quezon, with the contract to grow offer of a Filipino biotech company, Secura International Corp.

Through the city and municipal agriculture officers of the two Southern Luzon provinces, idle and unproductive lands will be used to plant Atsuete and Malunggay.

The provincial, city and municipal governments, along with farmers, farmers’ cooperative, non-government organizations (NGOs) and the private sector recently signed a resolution supporting the formation of the Biotechnology Information and Organization Network (BIONet) in the province to make farming for natural ingredients sustainable after attending seminar-workshops.