ESSA: WHERE IT ALL STARTED
ESSA “Farmers and Scientists Network for the Advancement of Smart Sustainable Agriculture”
Solution Ecosystems Activator, Inc. believes that scientific research and knowledge is vital to promote sustainable agriculture. There may be an increasing number of organic agriculture scientists in the Philippines because of the passage of Organic Agriculture Act of 2010 that authorize the Department of Agriculture to fund the Organic farming research in the country.
In advancing sustainable agriculture in the Philippines, a countrywide network of organic agriculture scientists and farmers has been formed. The idea of its organization was one of the top priorities identified by scientists themselves during the research phase of Smart Agriculture Project (SAP) of Life Bank Foundation.
As cited in the Smart agriculture book of LBF “these scientists are working in isolation of each other. There is often redundancy while large areas of strategic research that are directly useful to farmers are neglected”. Thus, the idea of establishing a network of organic farming scientist is necessary and the research findings of these scientists can be directed to the organic farmers.
The mission is to harness the synergistic effects of converging diverse stakeholders at multi-dimensional realities (earthly and spiritual) and disciplinary levels including the latest findings of the second and more spiritual scientific revolution for societal good.
The network serves as for the local, national and global portal for sharing of information, collaboration, exchanges of best practices, sharing of inspiring stories and also mainstreaming of and training in body of organic farming knowledge including quantum agriculture, scientific facts and explanation about organic farming and indigenous knowledge systems.
The network has a unique structure. The General Assembly (GA) of all members is the ultimate decision-making body of the Network. The GA designates the Council members and the latter will elect among themselves their set of officers. The Council has a mandate for the operational decisions which will be consulted the GA for the potential new policies to be made. Also there is a Network Secretariat that supports the Council in the executing the latter’s responsibilities.
With the primary goal of the Network in building right character as foundation, ongoing workshops in improving and strengthening the inner condition of Network members is mandatory. This is in line with the Network members’ identified motto, “The success of the Network depends on the Inner Condition of the Network”.
The goal and objectives that the Network members chose to pursue in achieving its Mission, gives the Network its identity and unique character.