BACOLOD CITY, Negros Occidental, Philippines (PIA) - Landowers in Negros Occidental have began diversifying the provincial economy some years back, turning some large tracts of sugar lands into such profitable ventures as fish ponds, farms nurturing high value crops as well as organic farming. According to the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist, the late Negros Occidental Gov. Joseph Marañon and former Negros Oriental Gov. George Arnaiz both signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) in 2005 to transform Negros Island into an ''Organic Food Bowl in Asia.'' Negros Occidental is approximately 372 kilometers long from north to south. It has a total land area of 792,607 hectares and about 80% of the arable land is devoted to agricultural products such as sugar cane, rice, coconut, corn, banana and other crops. Since the signing of said MOA, an annual Negros Island Organic Farmers Festival was conducted with such themes every year as ''Organik na Negros,'' ''Save the Earth: Negros Go Organic,'' and ''Organic Agriculture: A key towards development.'' Signing of the covenant by different stakeholders in support of organic agriculture was held while the organic weekend market law was launched in 2006.
Almost 50 partners composed of various local government units, government organizations and associations, and non-government organizations (NGOs) in the province are supportive of organic agriculture. The passage of a provincial ordinance banning the entry of living GMO in the province was a great help in promoting the province's promotion of turning organic. Organic vegetables demo farms were established and pushed by the late Gov. Marañon and implemented by the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPA) whose quarters are located at the back of the Provincial Administration Building.
