COTABATO CITY (PNA) – More than 50 farmers from two villages of Wao, Lanao del Sur will start focusing more on organic farming following a four-month training on corn production.

The farmers from the villages of Serran and Katutungan in the town of Wao have graduated over the weekend from a four-month training on production using new corn technology.

Under the supervision of the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (DAF) in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) and the local government of Wao, the training aims to equip the farmers with new technology to increase productivity and income and to ensure enough corn supply all over the country.

Torino Pinggol, Wao municipal agricultural officer, said the participants have undergone four-month training on new corn technologies that are suitable for the environment and advocates of organic farming.

Themed “Organic Farming: Key to Sustainable Development,” the closing program of Farming Field School was also highlighted with the presentation of folk media which illustrated the importance of useful insects in the field and the proper use of organic fertilizer.

Farmers’ testimonies on the effects of the training in their production and income were also presented that delighted ARMM and Wao agriculture sectors.

The visibly elated Mayor Elvino Balicao Jr. expressed his sincere gratitude to the DAF in providing support services in terms of projects and training in enriching the lives and knowledge of Wao farmers on new farming techniques.

In his message in behalf of DAF-ARMM Secretary Lomala Balindong, Field Operations Director Salik Panalunsong enumerated the DAF interventions such as the renovation of the DAF building, Bio-N production, distribution of shredder machine in support to Agri-Kalikasan Program, the ongoing construction of flatbed dryer and Barangay Bagsakan Center (BBC) and to conduct additional four FFS on corn and rice production.

Municipal and Committee on Agriculture chairman Al Belotendos said that the local government unit (LGU) of Wao has vowed to extend full support to all projects of DAF to be implemented in the municipality.

He said for 2010, they allocated funds for two livestock technicians, one computer unit to the MAO Office, and allocation of counterpart funds for trainings.