by ERNESTO T. SOLIDUM
Kapehan sa Aklan guests who discussed "Food Supply Situation" in Aklan on June 20 are shown above. They are (l to r) Deana Ruiz - DTI; Rico B. Magno - BFAR, Alicia L. Robelo - BFAR; Engr. Marianito B. Bejemino - NFA; Judith T. Tindog - NFA; and William B. Castillo, Sr. - Office of the Provincial Agriculturist, Aklan.
Usually, the end of June ushers in the lean months of deprivation, food security and high price. Kapehan guests on Saturday, June 27, 2009 discussed the topics of "Food Supply Situation" in Aklan which critically affects a third segment of the population.
Engr. Marianito B. Bejemino, Provincial Manager – National Food Authority (NFA), Ms. Alicia L. Robelo, Aqua-culturist – BFAR, Mr. Rico B. Magno, Technical Staff – BFAR, Mr. William B. Castillo, Sr. Agriculturist/OIC DA, Ms. Judith T. Tindog, Acting Sr. Grains Officer, NFA and Ms. Deana Ruiz, Information Officer II – Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Aklan served as resource persons.
Engr. Bejemino and Ms. Tindog assured the audience that NFA has now in its warehouse 42,000 bags rice, 23,000 bags palay and 25,000 bags Vietnam rice. Should there be any abnormal price fluctuation in the market, NFA rice could be disposed anytime. Current price of P25.00 per kilogram is very affordable. It is of good quality compared to P35 – P39.00 per kilogram commercial rice, said Bejemino.
The farmers are given production incentive in their direct procurement activities which is P17.00 per kilogram palay delivered at NFA warehouse or at buying stations. Sellers are members of farmers cooperative with passbook or certification from production technician or Brgy. Captain. Drying and delivery incentives are long standing features of grains procurement revealed Ms. Tindog.
Mr. Castillo mentioned that despite production setbacks due to tungro and rat infestation, Aklan has 20,000 metric tons surplus annual palay production. Available hybrid seeds (400 bags) and certified seeds (600 bags) are covered by "Plant Now, Pay Later" scheme wherein identified farmer cooperators shoulder 50 percent of acquisition cost, payable after harvest.
Fish Story
Dwindling fish catch from our commercial fisheries are properly addressed by the establishment of artificial corral reefs and marine sanctuaries. According to Ms. Robelo, marine sanctuary is planned in Baybay, Makato that is expected to double or triple meager catch of 2.0 kilograms per person per night 18 months after project launching. This has been proven effective in neighboring Jawili, Tangalan where fishing activity is done outside of territorial boundary of marine sanctuary. Current thrust is aquaculture research on polyculture, mudcrubs, lapu-lapu, and high saline tilapia in New Washington and Gift tilapia hatchery in Janlud, Libacao.
Atty. Allen S. Quimpo underscored the need for rapid, massive and integrated action positively responding to food needs of tourism industry in Aklan especially in Boracay and other high end establishments in the province. It is lamentable that large shipment of commodities particularly rice, vegetables, fruits, fish, livestock and meat products come from other provinces. Aklanons have never developed their entrepreneurial skills in filling the big demand for food. It is common knowledge that farmer cooperatives in Taiwan, Japan, and South Korea have the final say with regard to food import and exports averred the former solon. Trading of both agricultural inputs and outputs is the exclusive domain of farmers.
Dr. Ambrosio R. Villorente rallied for immediate development of Aklan rivers system for electric power generation, irrigation, domestic water supply, tourism, fish con-servation, land reclamation, balance ecology, and flood control to improve social and economic lives of Aklanons. Loan grant from Japanese International Cooperative Administration in the amount of P500 million for rehabilitation of existing irrigation system in the province is considered low impact target specific project compared to comprehensive Aklan Rivers Development.
Substantive discussion on food supply obviously failed because of the absence of hard data on agriculture and fisheries. Knowing the present and projected population and recommended dietary allowance of different food commodities would give valuable information as to the adequacy or inadequacy of a commodity at any given period of time. Computed production surplus can only be seen in rice where there is 20 per cent respectable margin like typhoon, flood, drought, pest, and disease infestation.
The national govern-ment has paramount responsibility to strengthen and modernize agriculture and fisheries since a quarter of GNP is subscribed by the sector. It has approved a loan to modernize agriculture and fishery production and utilization. Employment is recorded at 53 per cent while farmers comprise 71 percent of the total population. It should be noted that Agriculture and Fisheries Modernization Act authored by Sem. Edgardo Angara was only good on semantics and never got adequate funding. Japan and US both industrialized countries have four (4) percent and three (3) percent respectively farming population. Yet farmers are able to adequately feed their people, and the US is a world leader in agricultural exports.
It remains a paradox that Filipino farmers remain poor, undereducated and marginalized inspite of rich natural resources compared to their Asian neighbors. Aging farming population is 59 years old which means retrogression and hopeless-ness since majority of youths shun backbreaking task in the field. They prefer urban jobs. It appears that trade liberalization of World Trade Organization has left majority of local farmers in shackles of poverty and want. /MP
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