“Organic agriculture is more about fairness and respect than it is all about of parts-per-billion of pesticide residues” – James Hightower
A product’s supply chain must be completed with full adherence to all its components, more so by an institution’s “reason for existence” are the small producers. But in reality, this smacks the essence of organic farming and fair trade practices as the foundation of a relationship built for almost forty years. From this institution’s end, this partnership has reached a “point of no return.” Unfixable.
‘AS TERRIBLE AS SHE CAN GET’
I am reminded of the movie, “As good as it gets,” billed by Jack Nicholson and Helen Hunt. Melvin Udall (Nicholson’s character) engaged his obsessive character as a writer of taking care of a friend’s dog and a tolerating waitress (Hunt). Later, he gradually softens and realizes that he needs to change towards a good one that he can get. He fixed himself.
Ironically, a pioneer of a dishonest “organic and fair trade institution” that projects itself as an alternative marketing arm of the people’s products reasoned out “that our situation is at the point of no return and its either we continue and those who cannot endure must leave, or we completely stop because we are at the point of return.” This reason is as terrible and shameful as it can get.
A convenient excuse uncharacteristic of a leader who was employed earlier than the legal establishment of this institution masquerading as an advocate of organic and fair trade practices. Uncharacteristic is an understatement. Irresponsible and shameless are more apt for this leader of this institution that continues to put the province of Negros Occidental and the Philippines in the verge of local and international shame, should an independent investigation push through against dishonest and treacherous practices in farming and fair trade practices. And, as I mentioned in my previous article in this space, the government and its instrumentalities are duty-bound to investigate this institution as well.
DO NOT FIX, JUST FALSIFY
At the onset of the century the demand for organic and fair trade products was steady and even increasing. Proportionally, the demand of the small producers for more skills acquisition and farming techniques become imperative as far as the volume and quality production is concerned. During this time the employees of this institution in the processing aspect recommended the upgrade and improvement of the facilities to cope up with the demands of the market, especially the organic and fair trade consumers outside of the country.
This was to address the emerging challenge of production and processing of the product. However, this was completely disregarded by its leaders and gradually normalized the supply chain’s dishonest practices by falsifying organic and fair trade documents. They even taught the small producers to manufacture fake documents that made them turn away from organic farming practices.
All these years the small producers never produced organic products as raw material for its major export product and its processing facilities of this institution were never capable of producing healthy and organic products, but masqueraded itself as organic and fair trade practitioner to partners in Japan, Korea and Europe.
For more than two decades leaders of this institution disregarded the necessity of upgrading its facilities or honestly presented the necessity for improvement to organic and fair trade partners in Japan and Europe so that the challenge is addressed. As early as the mid-1990’s unacceptable lies and deception took shape in an alternative trading system on an international scale. To this day, betrayal and treachery are nurtured and sustained to the detriment of small producers and creating false beliefs among innocent partner consumers.
FOOLISH EXCUSE
The possible consequences of this institution’s condemnable practices were created and tolerated by no less than its leaders who did not take any action during the time it was still capable of undertaking major measures to fix a problem which is now irreparable. This irreparability is now blamed on the majority of the small producers who severed ties from this institution as they are being used as an excuse to this continuing betrayal and deception. Its callous leaders put the blame on some individuals they cannot control and publicly display vindictiveness to employees who defy the outdated type of leadership. And, to hold the majority of the small producers and individuals accountable for their own actions that might cause the employees’ jobs is not only brainwashing but condemnable.*
