As the war in the Middle East drives up global oil prices and threatens to push farm costs even higher, organic farming and “slow food” systems are emerging as a practical way to reduce the Philippines’ dependence on fossil fuels.
This was the key message delivered to the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Food, and Agrarian Reform, where agroecology was presented not just as an environmental option, but as a concrete economic solution to rising fuel and fertilizer costs.
Ramon S. Uy, Southeast Asia councilor of Slow Food International, told senators that farmers using organic methods are far less exposed to oil price volatility, which directly affects chemical fertilizer production and transport.
“When global oil prices surged in 2006, the cost of a 50-kilogram bag of chemical fertilizer increased from 500 pesos to 2,500 pesos. However, organic farmers were not affected. By producing our own fertilizer from biodegradable waste, we became independent of imported materials. As fertilizer prices rise sharply once again, this lesson becomes even more urgent. Today, the price of chemical fertilizers is 2,600–2,800 pesos per bag; last week, it was 1,900 pesos,” Uy said.
The Senate inquiry, conducted under Senator Kiko Pangilinan’s Proposed Senate Resolution No. 346, is examining how rising energy costs — now aggravated by geopolitical tensions — are impacting farmers and fisherfolk, and whether government support is enough.
Uy cited decades of on-the-ground experience showing how agroecology can cushion farmers from global shocks. Beginning in 2005, his group developed large-scale organic fertilizer production using vermicomposting and bokashi methods — converting biodegradable waste into farm inputs.
The system has since reached a capacity of 200 tons of organic fertilizer monthly, offering a stable and affordable alternative to imported chemical fertilizers.
Through technology-sharing initiatives, these methods have been adopted by more than 10,000 communities nationwide, helping strengthen local food systems while addressing waste management challenges.
With fertilizer prices recently rising by about 35% amid energy market volatility, Uy warned that the country’s reliance on imported agricultural inputs leaves farmers highly vulnerable to global crises such as the ongoing Middle East conflict.
Organic farming, he stressed, provides both sustainability and competitiveness. In Negros, around 20,000 hectares have shifted to organic agriculture, with rice yields reaching up to six tons per hectare — surpassing national averages for conventional farming.
“By turning organic waste into fertilizer, we addressed multiple challenges at once: waste management, high production costs, and farmer vulnerability. Money that would have gone to imported chemicals instead circulated within local communities, supporting livelihoods and healthier food,” Uy added.
Uy urged policymakers to move beyond stopgap subsidies and invest in long-term solutions anchored in agroecology and farmer-led innovation.
“It is time to prepare the country for a future that does not rely on chemicals in agriculture. Agroecology is not a marginal alternative — it is an essential path to food security, farmer dignity, and resilience in the face of global crises,” Uy said.
At the close of the hearing, senators backed the idea of converting waste into organic fertilizer to reduce imports and build domestic capacity.
The proposal aligns with the broader advocacy of Slow Food, which promotes food systems that are “good, clean, and fair” — a model now gaining urgency as war-driven energy shocks ripple through global food supply chains.