ORGANIC agriculture becoming mainstream globally and the Philippines has the potential to offer farm produce cultivated without chemicals to international markets.
Marco Schlüter, Managing Director for International Affairs at Naturland e.V., said that organic agriculture has already evolved from a niche, values-driven movement into a mainstream response to global, social, and environmental challenges.
"The world is going organic — and the Philippines is well placed to shape it. Organics reduce the dependence on costly imported pesticides and fertilizers while building long-term food security,” he said.
“It lets farming communities prosper and gives a growing middle class healthy and sustainable food choice,” Schlüter added.
Naturland, a nonprofit, international organic farmers' organization, headquartered in Germany, has reaffirmed its long‑term commitment to strengthening the Philippines’ organic sector, underscoring the importance of collaboration between European and Filipino stakeholders to enhance food security, sustainability, and consumer trust in the country.
As early as the 1990s, Naturland has been assisting the country’s organic agriculture sector gain certification and comply with standards. The first local product it certified was muscovado (dark cane sugar).
Schlüter said Naturland believes coconut, mango, banana, coffee, and aquaculture products from the Philippines can gain organic certification. Ube (purple yam) also has a potential.
“Definitely there is a potential in ube (purple yam) and coconut,” he said.
However, Schlüter said that expanding the country’s organic agriculture output will need addressing issues such as logistics and a fragmented value chain.
Program supporting organic farming
Behind the sustained drive to put the Philippines in the global organic agriculture ecosystem is the European Organic–Nurturing Every Juan campaign that started in September 2026. It is a three-year initiative, implemented in collaboration with the European Union (EU), aiming to raise awareness of certified organic agriculture and informs about the value of EU organic standards.
The campaign highlights the importance of trusted certification, sustainability, traceability, biodiversity, and responsible farming practices while helping Filipino consumers make informed food choices.
To support the European Organic–Nurturing Every Juan campaign and celebrate European Organic Day 2026, Naturland brought together more than 180 representatives from government, farmers' organizations, civil society organizations, development partners, sustainability advocates, food chain actors, among others, to Conrad Manila in Pasay for European Organic Day Philippines 2026 last Aug. 6.
Guided by the theme “From Pioneer to Mainstream: Creating Organic Pathways and Partnerships for the Philippines,” the event explored how trusted certification, strategic partnerships, and greater consumer awareness can make certified organic products more accessible to Filipinos.
“Europe has spent more than four decades building its organic ecosystem, including its standards and guarantee system. We want to share that experience and raise awareness of organic food and farming,” Schlüter said.