PROJECT OrgFarm: Introducing Organic Farming to Reduce the Detrimental

Contribution of Agrochemical Use to Climate Change

Submitted by Mary Lyn V. Calumba, Rica Jane B. Cuntapay and Shania D. Magayam

INTRODUCTION

Philippines have been involved in several natural disasters that triggered the need in
implementing programs and preparedness when it comes to preventing future cases of community
destruction. With the geographical location of the country, considering that it is surrounded by the
different bodies of water such as deep oceans, it is most vulnerable in experiencing climate change.
According to World Health Organization, there were studies conducted that represent the
fluctuation of temperature in the country and how climate change gradually changes as
interchanging events like rainfall and heat occurs. The issue in addressing the problem in certain
environmental incidents wherein global climate change can be the cause of extinction of the human
race in the future. Our country has already experienced the dangers and threats brought by human
activities such as mining, deforestation, hunting or loss of species, land deterioration, use of
chemicals and the rapid change of climate, immediate solution has been executed, however it is
only temporary. Controlling these events is unnecessary unless an improved management of the
environment and people is being applied to help lessen the possibility of experiencing global
warming. In the next decades, global temperature will suddenly increase to a level that has never
existed or is beyond the limit of the geographical standards (Winnail, 2007). This has been the
cause in refusal to take attention in using agricultural chemicals that leads to ecological constraints.
As pesticides is continually being used across the globe especially the adaptation of the Philippines
in using commercially available pesticides can bring future natural disasters. Defining climate
change, the normal pattern of this event happens when the ocean surface cools as the sunlight
passes through the ocean floor causing the ocean to release its stored heat into the atmosphere,
where it creates winds and rain clouds in its surroundings. The temperature of the ocean’s surface
merely increases the effects of climate change is continuous and as more heat is being released
into the atmosphere, possibilities of gradual changes in climate can therefore occur. Moreover, the
release of heat from the ocean and air can bring stronger and recurrent episodes of storm which is
quite evident in the Philippines.
 Some environmental issues that are currently faced by people are the increasing levels of
greenhouse gases such as methane, carbon dioxide, and chlorofluorocarbons that block the heat
that comes from the sun. The use of these chemicals is present in air condition systems which often
uses chlorofluorocarbon, whereas carbon dioxide, which is being expelled by the body, it is also
release through gasolines, natural gas and from burning fossil fuels (Winnail, 2007). In addition to
this, the gradual release of carbon dioxide across the glove can bring for up to 60% in the following
years, several countries are being held responsible for these possible events such as India and
China wherein they continue to industrialize and produce more automobiles that are gasoline
made. According to Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services
Administration, there has been a big impact regarding climate change as it not just presents
globally but occurs in every region of every country. In year 2007, studies were conducted to prove
how greenhouse gas concentrations have been the leading cause of climate change where it was
stated that climate change is unequivocal and refusing to take an action to prevent these events
may be the cause of further changes in climate change in the future which can bring a vast
destruction of human civilization and annihilation of the environment. Looking back 3 decades
ago, the earth has been involved in global warming with an average of 0.36 degrees Fahrenheit for
each decade which causes the earth’s average temperature to become extremely high in
comparison to the end of the last ice age around 12,000 years ago (Winnail, 2007).

MOTIVATION

Our intent to do this project is to help prevent the increasing level of global warming in the
country which can cause natural disasters and gradual changes in climate. In accordance to the
causes of climate change wherein the release of greenhouse gases is prevalent and seen in the
country, limiting the use of pesticides can be a way to lessen the chance of experiencing climate
change. Across the globe, glaciers have been increasingly melting, wherein studies produced
certain results that melting of ice in frost areas especially in North pole will be releasing high
amounts of methane that is 20 times more dangerous than the capacity of carbon dioxide (Winnail,
2007). In the last century, the levels of ocean have risen to about 8 inches while the temperature
of the earth rises to one-degree Fahrenheit. Scientists have conducted a study regarding this issue
wherein they found out that a three degree rise of temperature can melt most of the ice floating
across the Arctic region and the ice shelves found in Antarctica where it can bring rise to ocean
levels for up to several feet.

OVERVIEW

Background

An article about the recent climate change report of the Philippines was published by ABS-
CBN News (2019) which presented a study of the Global Peace Index in the previous year. The
study intended to determine countries that are at high risk of hazardous conditions brought about
by climate change. The results showed that the Philippines ranks first out of the nine countries
with highest natural hazard risk scores in Asia Pacific. The findings of the study showed that forty-
seven percent of the country’s population is highly susceptible to climate hazards such as
earthquakes, tsunami, floods, tropical cyclones and drought.

Agriculture, on the other hand, has been one of the traditional livelihoods for early Filipinos
until the present. The advent of technology also played a huge role in the improvement of
agricultural infrastructures mainly irrigation, a massive increase in the application of chemical
fertilizers and pesticides, and the introduction of new crop varieties. However, these advancements
in the agricultural system promotes the reliance to agrochemical usage of both synthetic fertilizers
and pesticides resulting to a dilapidated environment. (Bedoya & Terado, 2008)

Climate change and agriculture correlates—while farmers intend to exterminate harmful

organisms on their cultivated crops, the environment suffers and when calamities brought by
climate change strikes, the agricultural industry declines. One of the causes of climate change is
greenhouse gases which are gas molecules that have the property of absorbing infrared radiation
(net heat energy) emitted from Earth’s surface and reradiating it back to Earth’s surface, thus
contributing to the phenomenon known as the greenhouse effect. (Jackson, 2019) In an interview
with Emmanuel M. De Guzman, the executive director of the Climate Change Commission, he
stated that although the Philippines has minimal contribution to global emission, a mere 0.31
percent in 2010 and 0.39 percent in 2015, the author foresees that the country’s emission will still
rise as the economy continues to progress. The report also indicated the four sectors that largely
impart on the greenhouse gas emission: energy, industrial processes, agriculture, and waste
generation. The agriculture sector, particularly livestock farming and rice cultivation, produces
methane (CH4) that is more potent as a heat-trapping gas. (Jalandoni, 2018) In addition from a
DILG article (2016), nitrous oxide (NO2) from synthetic fertilizer used in agriculture append to
the amount of greenhouse gas emission.

According to Valeroso (2002), if we fail to prevent climate change the following damaging
results might occur in the agricultural sector: changes in growing seasons, heat stress in plants and
animals, redoubled yields (at up to 2oC increase for a few crops), multiplied outbreaks/incidences
of pests and diseases, changes in hydrological cycle , changes in precipitation regimes, changes in
crops and crop areas and additional severe droughts and/or floods.

Significance

Organic Farming is a technique that involves the use of biological materials and avoiding
the use of synthetic substances that affects the soil fertility and ecological balance. The
significance of this proposal is to raise awareness and to share knowledge, specifically to the
farmers, about the benefits of switching from agrochemical-based to organic-based use of
pesticides. Moreover, since Filipino farmers are the focus of our project, we also aim to
minimize the possible effects of climate change not only for their source of income but also for
them to produce a high- quality and healthy food crops.

PROJECT DETAILS

Description

Our project OrgFarm: Introducing Organic Farming to Reduce the Detrimental

Contribution of Agri-Chemical Use to Climate Change aims to enlighten the public particularly
the people who are working in agricultural sector about how the use of agrochemical-based
products can contribute to the effects of climate change especially in terms of agricultural products,
since the Filipino farmers are the one who benefits the most in the crops that they produce, our
project aims to give them a knowledge about how can they protect their source of livelihood and
also enhancing their skills to produce an high-quality of crops by the use of organic farming.

Issues and Challenges

Issues

A. Lack of financial and technical capacity of the smallholder farmers to meet the
certification required by the Organic Agriculture Act of 2010.

The Organic Agriculture Act of the Philippines requires a certification to all of the organic
farms in the Philippines by third-party certifier, this kind of certification requires a big
financial capital that most of the smallholder farmers cannot afford, since majority of them
are working only in an average of 1.5 hectares of farm land, income is limited, production
orientation is only in a small-scale level and does not have a control over the market prices.

B. Conflict with the Promoters of Inorganic Chemicals.

Possible conflict may occur, since farmers have different perspectives in using chemical-
based pesticides or fertilizers, some farmers believe that chemical-based pesticides or
fertilizers are more effective in eliminating pests and bacteria.
Challenges
 A. Finding alternative natural ways in exchange of chemical-based pesticides or
fertilizers.

Since Organic Farming is consist of any product in solid or liquid form of plant or animal
origin that has undergone substantial decomposition, it is more accessible, but it requires a
financial support since the farmers will undergo seminars, to provide them knowledge
about producing their own organic fertilizers or pesticides.

B. Farmer’s Lack of Financial Capital to Switch from Chemical-based pesticides or

fertilizers to Organic Farming.

According to Laguna-based PCAARRD, it is possible for our farmers to produce their own
organic fertilizers of pesticides, however our farmers needs an initial investment of Php
2.17 million that will spent to land, building, machineries and equipment.
Features

This project seeks to enlighten the farmers the benefits of organic farming. According to
the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, organic agriculture reduces non-
renewable energy use by decreasing agrochemical desires (these need high quantities of fuel to be
produced). Organic agriculture contributes to mitigating the atmospheric phenomenon and heating
through its ability to sequester carbon within the soil. several management practices employed by
organic agriculture (e.g. minimum tillage, returning crop residues to the soil, the employment of
canopy crops and rotations, and also the bigger integration of nitrogen-fixing legumes), increase
the come of carbon to the soil, raising productivity and favoring carbon storage. variety of studies
unconcealed that soil organic carbon contents below organic farming is significantly higher. The
additional organic carbon is maintained within the soil, the additional the mitigation potential of
agriculture against global climate change is higher. However, there's a lot of analysis required
during this field, yet. there's an absence of information on soil organic carbon for developing
countries, with no farm system comparison knowledge from Africa and geographic area, and solely
restricted knowledge on soil organic carbon stocks, that is crucial for deciding carbon sequestration
rates for farming practices
Timeline

Tasks:

1. Research on Organic Agricultural Alternatives

2. Introduce Project Org Farm to Farmers around the Country
3. Dry run of the Project
4. Strict implementation of Project OrgFarm

PROJECT ORGFARM
20-Jan-20 29-Apr-20 7-Aug-20 15-Nov-20 23-Feb-21 3-Jun-21 11-Sep-21

4 3 2 1
START DATE 1-Sep-21 20-Jan-21 6-Jul-20 20-Jan-20
DAYS TO COMPLETE 194 160 163

CONCLUSION

We cannot stop the effects of climate change, but there are a lot of things the we can do to
minimize its effects, that is the purpose why we come up with our project, majority of the
Filipino farmers are used in using Agrochemical-based products to their crops, what they do not
know is its side effects not only to their health but also to our environment and to the food crops
that they produce, Agrochemical-based products can contaminate the soil, water and other
vegetation, some parts of the pesticides or fertilizers sprayed on crops will remain in farmland,
but some of these will enter the surrounding like the soil, water and air. Pesticide residues in soil
and water are significant environment threats and have been classified as carcinogen pollutants
in many country (Ozkara, Akyil, Konuk, 2016) because of the said effects of the use of
Agrochemical-based products, not only the health of our farmers who are at risk but also our
environment.
REFERENCES:

Bedoya D. & Tirado R. (2008). Agrochemical use in the Philippines and its Consequences

to the Environment. Retrieved from

http://www.greenpeace.to/publications/gpsea_agrochemical-use-in-the-philip.pdf

Department of Interior and Local Government (2011). Climate Change in the Philippines.
Retrieved from https://dilg.gov.ph/PDF_File/reports_resources/DILG-Resources-2012130-
2ef223f591.pdf

Department of Interior and Local Government (2016). Climate Change: A Primer for
Local Government. Retrieved from https://dilg.gov.ph/PDF_File/reports_resources/dilg-
reports-resources-2016418_39818529be.pdf

Jackson, S. T. (2019, October 18). Climate Change. Retrieved from

https://www.britannica.com/science/climate-change.

Jalandoni. (2018, November 20). Greenhouse Gas Emissions in PH Rising: Report. Retrieved
from https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/11/20/18/greenhouse-gas-emission-in-ph-rising-report.

News, A. B. S.-C. B. N. (2019, June 15). Country most threatened by climate change? Study
says it's Philippines. Retrieved from https://news.abs-cbn.com/spotlight/06/15/19/country-
most-threatened-by-climate-change-study-says-its-philippines.

Organic Agriculture. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.fao.org/organicag/oa-faq/oa-

faq6/en/.

Your Source for Green and Sustainable Living, Environmental News and Information.
(2018, December 28). Retrieved from https://www.conserve-energy-future.com/?pg=0.

Özkara, A., Akyıl, D., & Konuk, M. (2016, June 16). Pesticides, Environmental Pollution,
and Health. Retrieved from https://www.intechopen.com/books/environmental-health-risk-
hazardous-factors-to-living-species/pesticides-environmental-pollution-and-health.