This is the Project 2 of the program "Integrated Management Strategies for Sustainable Organic Farming in the Ilocos Region".

Organic farming is a technique in farming without the use of any chemicals or synthetics. It is a system based on the principle of taking care of nature and respecting all life forms. Crop rotation, green manure, use of natural fertilizers and biological pest control form the crux of organic farming.

The organic industry in the Philippines is generally described to be at its infancy stage (FAS/USDA, 2000 as cited by Aragon, 2007) though it is a progressing industry not only in the country but especially in America and Europe. The Trade Industry estimates that only 1% of the total Philippine Agriculture adheres to organic farming. However, with the governments' thrust in pushing organic agriculture in the country, there has been a growing interest among farmers and stakeholders. Organic farming, especially on vegetables, is now spreading in some provinces. The Institute of Plant Breeding (IPB) identified 11 kinds of vegetables suitable for organic vegetable production. These include eggplant, pepper, tomato, cauliflower, cabbage, lettuce, string beans, bush beans, cowpea, Baguio beans, and bunching onions (http://www.bar.gov.ph/bardigest2001/archives.asp). Based on the country report of Sarmiento (2007), one of the issues and concerns resulting to low adoption is the limited availability of certified organic seeds. With the increasing demand and enthusiasm for organically-grown vegetables, there is a need to develop technologies to support the growing industry, one of which is the need for organic seed production system. This is very crucial because for a crop to be considered/certified as organic, the seed material used must be organically produced and stored, and the seedling to be organically-grown.

Established seed production and storage system for a sustainable organic crop production