In order to establish a wide network and collaboration among organic agriculture scientists and practitioners, ESSA initiated a National Consultation Meeting. In this activity the practitioners from different sectors comprising the academe, local government units, private practitioners and local farmers who are practicing organic agriculture gathered primarily, to influence and encourage the agricultural scientists to tap their existing networks, technical expertise, funders, institutions and human resources to implement the results of this national workshop. Another one is to publish the researches of organic scientists that will serve the outreach of the organic agriculture in NICE.
Also, encourage the leagues of mayors in municipalities and cities to support and promote this initiative.
According to Daily Guardian News a local newspaper issued on August 30, 2018 page 13, “The LOAM-C president Rommel Arnado stressed that he believes in organic farming saying that “I am very passionate sa aking ginagawa (I am very passionate in what I do) against all odds and the wishes of my friends especially my family.”
Life is not all about work and making money. But I think we know by reading the Bible, we will realize that life is all about sharing. Kung anong ma natin, kung anong maitutulong natin sa kapwa natin, gawin natin. (Whatever we can share, whatever we can extend help to others, let’s do it),” Arnado said.
He added that establishing a league of good mayors to help promote organic farming in their municipalities and cities will minimize poverty because people engage in organic farming.
“Meron tayong health and wellness obligation sa ating komunidad. Hindi naman mahirap ang organic, nagiging mahirap ito because we make it hard (We have health and wellness obligation in our community. Organic is not difficult, it becomes difficult because we make it hard),” he added.”
Despite the typhoon, the Consultation Meeting was pursued and attended by Forty-Nine (49) participants coming from LGU partners, agricultural scientists, farmers’ association representatives, Lifebank Foundation representatives and SEA, Inc. staff last August 10-12, 2019 at CBE, Angat, Bulacan. It is in this assembly that ESSA emerged through a consensus of the participants. Originally, the project name was ESSA, but because of the consideration that the main stakeholders of the project are the farmers, the word “Farmers” or “Farm” was included making it “ESSA”.
