by Kathleen Emillie Araña


“Life of Sustainable Agriculture” bannered across Xavier University as the National Farmer’s Conference touched down on University grounds. The conference  ran from October 19 to 22, 2011.

Hosted by Xavier University, Xavier University College of Agriculture – Sustainable Agriculture Center, Archdiocese of Cagayan de Oro and ADEXTRA Ministries, the event pooled 110 participants from 49 dioceses and archdioceses across the country to three days of seminars and open sharing of practices.

The conference is organized every two years. For 2011, the organizers comprised the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines – National Secretariat for Social Action-Justice and Peace (CBCP – NASSA) or known as the Caritas Filipinas Foundation Inc. (CFFI), Caritas ASIA, Canadian Catholic Organization for Development & Peace, Entraide et Fratenite, Caritas Korea, Department of Agriculture (DA) and RU Foundry.

“This was born out of the Sustainable Agriculture program of the CBCP – NASSA,” Program Coordinator Ronel Barsatan explained. “The program has been sustained through its island networks, the Interdiocesan Sustainable Agriculture Network (IDSANet) Mindanao, VIDSANet (Visayas) and LIDSANet (Luzon).”

Those present were Diocesan Social Action Centers Directors, Program Coordinators and Farmers. Barsatan added that the goals for this year are to consolidate the experiences of the DSACs, launch the umbrella network, IDSANET Philippines, and collaborate with the government, particularly the DA in the implementation of the RA 10068 known as the Organic Agriculture Act of 2010.

Mr Victoriano Tagupa, SAC Director shared that IDSANet Mindanao, of which SAC is the Secretariat, serves as the model for the umbrella network. The regional network ran an annual Mindanao Sustainable Agriculture Congress from 2005 to 2007. This was put on hold in 2008 to make way for an upcoming program, also in line with the Organic Agriculture Act.

Mindanao delegates arrived from the archdioceses and dioceses of Ozamis, Malaybalay, Julo, Surigao, Kidapawan, Tandag, Cotabato, Basilan, Tagum, Pagadian, Davao, Mati, Dipolog, Ipil, Butuan and Iligan.

Some celebrities present, who are also Sustainable Agriculture advocates, were Chin-Chin Guttierez and Roy Alvarez. Bishops who graced the event were Abp. Antonio J Ledesma SJ DD of Cagayan de Oro, Bp. Juan de Dios Pueblos, DD of Butuan, Bp. Jose Cabantan DD of Malaybalay and Bp Broderick Pabillo, Director of CBCP-NASSA.