philippine agriculture: today and the future

Transcription

PHILIPPINE AGRICULTURE:
TODAY AND THE FUTURE
MISSION: AVAILABLE AND AFFORDABLE FOOD
by EMMANUEL F. PIÑOL
To make food available, farmers and fisherfolk must produce
enough for 105 million Filipinos in a country with a population
growth of 1.9% every year.
To make food affordable, the cost of production must be
brought down while the income earning capacity of the
people must be raised.
PHILIPPINE AGRICULTURE: TODAY AND THE FUTURE
REALITY:
WE ARE COUNTRY OF IRONIES
The Philippines has 6 months of rains, typhoons and is
inundated by endless floods. But after 3 months of dry spell,
we cry “Water!”
The Philippines is ranked No. 5 among the world’s countries
with the longest shorelines at 39,285 kilometers but we are
not the top fisheries, aqua and marine products producer.
In fact, we still import some fisheries and marine products
and our fingerlings for the national fish “Bangus” and
shrimps.
Rice is our staple food and the foremost research body for
the crop - the International Rice Research Institute - is based
in Los Baños, Laguna yet we are one of the biggest importers
of rice in the world.
There are 247 large rivers in the country, thousands of
tributaries, creeks, springs, watershed areas and rich aquifers
but only 1.4-million of the estimated 3.1-million hectares
planted to rice are served by irrigation water.
The Philippines is a land of verdant plains and lush
vegetation ideal for animal feeds but we are a heavy importer
of beef and 99% of dairy and milk requirements come from
foreign lands.
The country has a land so fertile that one Israeli agriculturist
once said that the Philippines could produce enough food
to feed the world and seas so wide and islands so plentiful
we could not even get the exact number. Yet the poorest
sectors of society are in farming and fisheries.
DIAGNOSIS:
A NATION OF TWISTED PSYCHE
“Hulog ng Langit,” “Biyaya ng Maykapal” are phrases which
indicate the kind of mindset Filipinos have. We always look
up to the heavens for our salvation from poverty. We always
hope that one day, the blessings would fall from the heavens
and bring relief to our sufferings as a people.
In agriculture and fisheries, this mindset is reflective at how
we lap up every new product and idea presented to us in
glowing anecdotes and narratives.
The “Golden Kuhol” was introduced to the country as a
priceless source of protein and the first recipients of the
breeding materials from overseas did not even want to share
it. Today, it is a pest to the rice farmers.
The “Jathropha” received a P1-B support fund supposedly
because it promised a rich source of bio-diesel which would
earn millions for the farmers. It ended up as a big flop and
earned the anger and ire of the farmers who felt they were
duped.
The list of the expensive but fruitless experiments is long:
cotton, ramie, Asian carp, Taiwan hito and many others.
The endemic and native products which the Philippines could
offer to the world and dominate the market have been
neglected, sometimes even forgotten.
The Philippines used to be Number 1 in Coconut. Thailand
has overtaken us. In many stores in the United States of
America, coconut products from Thailand are sold.
Abaca is endemic to the Philippines but we have neglected
the product and now Ecuador which got its planting materials
of the Manila Hemp from the Philippines is fasttracking its
Abaca development program.
“Bangus” is our national fish but we are importing our
fingerlings from Taiwan. Worse, we are losing the foreign
market to them when our “Bangus” is described by foreign
buyers are best in quality.
“Milagrosa,” the aromatic rice found only in the Philippines
has been developed by Thailand and now marketed worldwide as Jasmine Rice. Worse, they have claimed the brand
name as theirs.
Banana, pineapple, Durian, Malunggay, Mangosteen, Cacao,
Coffee, Rubber, Oil Palm, Carageenan, Tuna, shrimps, crabs
and dried fish are high-value products the Philippines could
excel in but these sectors have largely been left by
government to fend for themselves.
Pork, Chicken, Beef and ducks are other high value
commodities the Philippines could produce in great volume
because of the availability of feed materials - grains, copra
meal, fish meal, oyster and seashells, molasses and hay but we are importing these from other countries.
SOLUTION:
BACK TO THE BASIC
The country’s agriculture and fisheries program must go back
to the basic - Produce Food and Address Poverty.
The programs of the Department of Agriculture now would be
focused on two areas:
1.) Staple Food Commodities to ensure food security;
2.) High Value Crops to generate jobs and foreign earnings.
The first question would be: “What do Filipinos eat and
where and how do we produce these commodities?”
The second question is: “What do the local and foreign
markets need which the Philippines could produce?”
So, what food do Filipinos need?
On top of the list would be rice, corn, chicken, meat, milk and
dairy products, fish and marine products and fruits,
especially bananas.
And what products could be grown and raised in the
Philippines which are in demand in the local and foreign
markets?
Coconut is No. 1. Then there is Cavendish and Lacatan
banana, pineapple, cacao, coffee, rubber, oil palm, abaca,
shrimps, fish and marine products, seaweeds, organically
grown rice and vegetables, pork, halal chicken, spices,
essential oils and tropical fruits.
FORMULA:
FIRST THINGS FIRST
To achieve food sufficiency and maximum productivity in the
country, the Department of Agriculture under President
Rody Duterte must undertake the implementation of the
basic foundations of a sound agriculture and fisheries
program.
Step 1:
A National Color-Coded Agriculture and Fisheries Map;
Step 2:
A National Food Consumption Quantification Study;
Step 3:
An institutional restructuring and paradigm resetting for
the Department of Agriculture and its officials and
employees;
Step 4:
An intensive technology updating and
modernization and mechanization program;
sharing,
Step 5:
An easy access financing program for farmers,
fishermen and agriculture and fisheries stakeholders;
Step 6:
A strategic and effective post-harvest, storage and
processing facility;
Step 7:
A government-initiated and supported aggressive
marketing campaign especially for high-value crops in
foreign markets;
Step 8:
A coordinated program with other agencies of
government to ensure the protection and preservation of
water sources, especially watershed;
Step 9:
A relentless campaign for the enforcement of
agricultural and fisheries laws, especially on land
conversion and illegal fishing;
Step 10:
Re-introduction of basic agriculture in the primary and
elementary grades of the Philippine schools system with
emphasis on the value of the land, water and seas and
the maximum but prudent utilization of these resources.
TARGET:
FOOD SUFFICIENCY
The DA will now be adopting a policy that the country must
strive hard to achieve food sufficiency, especially for our
basic and staple food commodities like rice, white corn,
meat, poultry, fish and marine products.
The thinking that the answer to the country’s shortage on
the basic food commodities is simply to import these from
neighboring countries is now rendered moot by the fact that
our traditional sources of imported food also experienced
the ill-effects of climate change.
The question that hangs over our heads now is: Where
would we source our imported food if God forbid El Niño or
La Niña would ravage all of East Asia and Southeast Asia?
Or, where would we get our imported rice if suddenly the
mighty Mekong River overflows its banks and destroys the
rice crops of our traditional rice suppliers?
It has now become a must that this country must achieve
sufficiency in rice and other basic food commodities. It is no
longer just a choice.
For rice, I have designed a program called RIPE or Rice
Productivity Enhancement which calls for a thorough review
of the country’s water management and irrigation policies,
the conduct of a nation-wide soil analysis, an extensive
program to improve rice farming technology, the introduction
of high-yielding rice varities, effective soil rehabilitation and
fertilizer program and modern harvest and post-harvest
facilities to minimize losses.
There must be a viable program to produce more white corn
to supply the grains requirements of the corn-eating
provinces like Negros Oriental, Siquijor, Bohol, Cebu, Biliran,
Leyte, Southern Leyte, the three provinces of Samar and
Northern Mindanao.
For livestock and poultry, the country must develop its feed
components supplies and lessen its dependence on imported
materials like soya and even fishmeal to ensure that the cost
of production would be lower.
For a country whose per capita meat consumption increased
from 15 kilos to 35 kilos these past few years, the Philippines
sorely lacks a rational livestock and poultry development
program to ensure self-sufficiency in these sectors.
Meat processors rely on imported carabeef while beef, pork
and poultry supplies have to be beefed up by imports during
the peak season.
For our fish and marine products sufficiency, the Bureau of
Fisheries and Aquatic Resources is now tasked to implement
a nation-wide program against Illegal Fishing and a 3-month
closed season during the spawning period of the distinct fish
species in the different parts of the country.
A nation-wide search for the cleanest coastal communities
will also be launched starting this year using the following
criteria: 1.) absence of illegal fishing; 2.) observance of
closed season; 3.) well-protected marine sanctuary; 4.)
garbage-free coastal waters; and 5.) sustained mangrove
protection and rehabilitation program.
Winning coastal communities will be given Presidential
Awards and livelihood funds amounting to P10-M.
Funding and support for the culture and production of high
value fish species like Lapu-lapu and Maya-Maya, and
commercial species like Bangus and Tilapia, shrimps, crabs
and other marine products will also be intensified.
The most critical preparation for Climate Change is in the
area of water conservation and management.
For Philippine Agriculture to be sustainable and climate
change-resilient, trees must once again be grown in the
denuded mountains and water flowing freely to the ocean
must be managed and conserved in small impoundings,
catchment basins and dams.
I have designed a concept in Family-Based Agro-Forestry
Program anchored mainly on the idea of stakeholder-ship
where an upland family is designated as the caretaker of an
area which has been planted to harvestable tree species to
make the program sustainable.
There will be a shift in the irrigation mindset. This
administration will focus more on small and communitybased irrigation projects over the highly-destructive,
expensive and long-gestating mega-irrigation projects which
costs billions of pesos.
The DA will also be introducing solar-powered irrigation
facilities, especially in remote villages which are not
connected to the grid to provide water not only for the rice
fields but also for vegetable gardens and for drinking
purposes and most of all, to provide electric power to the
community.
The idea of using solar-powered irrigation facilities
dawned upon me when I visited a Tilapia fishpond owned
and managed by a Filipino-American in the middle of the
desert in Southern California. Using solar panels to trigger
and power his pumps, Rocky French, draws water from over
1,000 feet below the surface to supply water to his ponds
located in a 25-acre property.
Three prototypes of this new concept in agricultural irrigation
will soon be built in three pilot areas in Luzon, Visayas and
Mindanao.
Vegetable production in the urban areas using the advanced
Israeli Green House technology is another option in
ensuring food supply in the face of the threats of Climate
Change.
Under a concept called “Vegetable Gardens in the City,”
urban poor families will be involved through the support of
the city governments which will be the partners of the Dept.
of Agriculture in the implementation of this program.
The DA has already allocated P75-M for this program this
year and initially the cities of Taguig, Manila and Quezon City
will be the first target areas for this program.
Backyard vegetable gardening will also be encouraged in the
rural and urban areas with the DA providing technical,
financial and marketing support.
The idea of establishing Tilapia fish farms along river banks
instead of the fish cages in the country’s inland waters and
lakes which adversely affect the ecology is now being
designed in a blueprint which is expected to contribute to the
country’s food sufficiency in the face of the threats of Climate
Change.
HIGH VALUE CROPS
The Coconut Productivity and Rehabilitation Agenda
(COPRA) aims to cover 600,000 hectares over the next six
years in a program that would include the development of
under-the-coconut crops like Cacao, Coffee, Abaca, Black
Pepper and even the Señorita Pineapple.
The Department of Agriculture under the Rody Duterte
Presidency will implement plans of action to regain the
country’s status as the world’s No. 1 Coconut Producer.
The country’s Banana, Rubber, Pineapple, Oil Palm and
other High-Value sectors will be supported by the
Department of Agriculture.
Processing and value-adding will be the key words in the
High Value Crops sector.
The DA will also boost and support a new agri industry, fruit
wine production which involves the production of spirits
using tropical fruits as materials.
The Department will take an active role in the promotions
and marketing of these products in traditional and new
markets abroad.
FIRST 100 DAYS TARGETS
So, for the first 100 days of the Duterte Presidency, the
Department of Agriculture will undertake the following
measures:
- Nation-wide orientation and mind setting for all officials
and employees of the DA to ensure that they are guided on
the priorities of the Duterte Presidency in agriculture and
fisheries and the road map for the mission to provide
Available and Affordable Food for the Filipinos is clearly
explained;
- Cash for work program for farmers and fishermen
affected by the El Niño. Work includes manual repair and
rehabilitation of irrigation facilities for farmers and cleaning
of coastal waters of garbage and planting of mangrove trees
for fisherfolk;
- Start of the national mapping to determine which crop or
agricultural activity would be best in a specific area based on
geographic, climatic and soil type conditions. President
Duterte calls this the Color-coded Agriculture Guide Map;
- Start of the National Food Consumption Quantification
Survey whcih would determine what kind of food and the
volume of food commodities consumed by the Filipinos. This
would also project the food consumption of the country in
relation to population growth;
- Nation-wide inspection of irrigation services, dredging of
silted dams and provision of shallow tube wells to ensure
sufficient supply of water for the next rice planting season;
- Support in the form seeds, fertilizers, farm inputs two
planting seasons in the form of calamity assistance;
- For the fisherfolk, distribution of fishing boats and nets;
- Nation-wide face-face interaction between the DA secretary
and the stakeholders in the agriculture and fishery sectors to
address their concerns;
- Project Management Teams will also be organised in
coordination with the local government units of the country's
10 Poorest Provinces to ensure that the DA's food
production program would also result in Poverty Alleviation;
- A special project titled Pagkain Para sa Masa will be
launched in Metro Manila establishing arrozcaldo feeding
stations to ensure that the street dwellers and the homeless
will not go to sleep on an empty stomach. This project will
be implemented jointly with the Dept. of Health, Dept. of
Social Welfare and Development and the LGUs in Metro
Manila.
- Pagkain Para sa Masa will serve as the first step towards
ensuring that the street dwellers, urban poor and the
homeless will be identified and later trained for vegetable
growing using the Israel Green House technology;
- Another special project, the Bantay Dagat, will engage the
Badjaos in cleaning the waters of coastal communities to
make them productive;
- In cooperation and coordination with the DOH, DSWD and
Dept. of Educaton, the DA will also spearhead the launching
of a community-based milk feeding program in areas
where farmers are involved in dairy production.
- In preparation for the La Niña which is expected to hit the
country by November or December 2016, the DA secretary
will direct the Philippine Crop insurance Corp. to include in
the crop insurance program farmers in the high risk areas.
- The National Food Authority (NFA) will also be directed to
pre-position sufficient rice and food supplies in areas
expected to be affected by La Niña.
- Inter-agency connectivity between the DA and the Bureau
of Customs will also be established during the first 100 days
of President Duterte to ensure that the smuggling of rice,
meat products and other agricultural products like Onion,
Garlic and even Ginger will stop.
INSTITUTIONAL CHANGES, REFORMS
Over the years and along the way, this Department and
many of its agencies have been distracted by programs and
projects which are not essential to their original mission.
The Department of Agriculture must go back to its basic
mandate and that is to produce food for this nation.
Along this line, the focus of our funding support should be
on programs that contribute directly to food production and
poverty alleviation.
Reforms must be made within this agency.
Over the years, the DA’s image has been tainted with issues
of corruption from the fertilizer scam to allegations that the
importation of onion and garlic is controlled by a cartel.
I have seen for myself how a noble program like PL480
which is funded by the US government to improve the
country’s dairy goat industry through the infusion of
outstanding genetics has been marred by corruption.
I know of stories of how the Farm to Market Road program
has been turned into sources of funds for some
unscrupulous individuals.
I have heard of how regulatory offices under this
Department have been agonizingly slow in acting on
transactions brought before them.
Listen to this or read my lips: Corruption will not be tolerated
in this Department. Not anymore.
I am directing Undersecretary for Policy and Planning
Segfredo Serrano and Undersecretary for Administration
and Finance Bernadette Romulo to initiate the establishment
of a system where applications for permits could be
submitted and the fees paid on-line.
The applicants will only come to this department when their
permits are ready to be picked up or if their physical
presence is not needed, these could be released to them
on-line.
Biddings for goods, items, supplies including the
procurement of animals and goats for genetic infusion will
be announced on-line.
I am directing the new head of the ICT office to open a new
DA Website Portal which would be interactive and where
stakeholders in agriculture could relay their concerns,
problems and complaints directly to the Secretary of this
Department.
Officials and employees of this Department who will be
affected by reassignments are urged to abide by directives
issued by the Secretary.
I would like to advise you not to waste your money in hiring
lawyers to question the Secretary’s efforts to execute
reforms in this Department because I have a battery of
lawyers who will be consulted before I make any more to
ensure that I will not commit an illegal act.
Let me repeat what I said during the Turn-over Ceremony on
July 1 about the conduct of employees in this Department.
Before I end, let me just advise the head of the General
Services Office that I do not like to work in a dirty
environment.
I will give you one week to clean the frontage of this
Department and make sure that no vehicles are parked
along the pathways.
This directive on the cleanliness of our offices and
surroundings is also addressed to the heads of the agencies
and regional offices under this Department.
Remember the saying: Cleanliness is next to God-liness.
(Please include parts of the memo.)
I also would like to remind everyone that You and I have a
mission and we all undertake this task as one team.
We have to work together, harmoniously if I have to
emphasize that.
The last thing that I would like to hear are disagreements or
even feud between officials and employees of this
department.
Let me repeat my warning during the first transition meeting
which I attended: I will not tolerate in-fighting within this
department or within the offices of this department.
Settle your differences like matured individuals or else I will
assign you both to offices so distant - maybe one in
Tuguegarao, Cagayan Valley and the other in Bongao, Tawitawi - so that you will never see each other again until you
retire.
My dear friends and fellow workers in this department and
to the stakeholders in agriculture and fisheries in this
country:
When President Rody Duterte named me as the Agriculture
Secretary under his administration, I readily and happily
accepted the position.
For so long, as a farmer and a local government executive
I saw with my own eyes what needs to be done to ensure
that there will be Available and Affordable Food for the
people of this country.
I will never betray the trust of my President or fail the
expectations of our people.

philippine agriculture: today and the future

Transcription

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