Japanese Ambassador Makoto Katsura will attend the turnover ceremony of the project entitled, “The Project for Establishment of Organic Rice Post Harvest Facilities in Barangay Salngan, Passi City, Iloilo” on November 4, 2009. The project, amounting to 44,422 US dollars or about 2.1 million pesos, is funded through Embassy of Japan's Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Projects (GGP). The project aims to increase organic rice production and promote rice-based enterprises to increase household income of 108 farmers in six (6) barangays in Passi City, who are also agrarian reform beneficiaries.
Agriculture is the primary source of livelihood for most residents in Passi City, where more than 80% of the land area is classified as “agricultural.” However, the unabated use of chemical-based farm inputs has made the soil infertile, and the volume of rice harvest in the area has gradually declined. This situation has encouraged some farmers to shift to organic farming method s in order to gain back soil nutrients in their farms. However, the unavailability of post harvest facilities and the limited awareness of rice traders about the benefits of organic rice are forcing farmers to sell their products at a lower price.
In this project, the private sector that has a rich experience in the sale of organic rice will also get involved in the project and play an important role in marketing activities. It is expected that, through the improvement of the quality and marketability of organic rice, the livelihood of farmers will be improved.
The GGP was launched in the Philippines in 1989 as a funding facility that aims to support small-scale projects that directly benefit the grassroots level as well as contribut e to the country's socio-economic development. As of 2009, more than 400 small-scale grassroots projects, amounting to a total of 238 million yen (approximately 2.1 million US dollars), have been implemented by NGOs, local government units and other non-profit organizations.
