Entrepreneurial Farmer

Ambrosio R. Villorente

Imbalance Aklan Agri Tourism Program

Under the United Leadership piloted by Gov. Carlito S. Marquez, Aklan has embarked on a “twin program”, Agriculture and Tourism. So much money is being invested on projects that will make the visit and stay in Aklan of visitors both Pilipinos and foreigners pleasant, enjoyable and rewarding.

As evidence of visitors’ motivated infrastructure development, there are the Kalibo International Airport (KIA) reconstruction. This will promote safer landing and takeoff of airplanes. It will also enable bigger planes to land thereby increase tourist arrivals daily. The road widening in Kalibo – Numancia is being done to make land travel safer, enjoyable and faster. However, the construction is moving like turtle. The construction has been going on for a year. The engineers do not fail to put the sign: “sorry for the inconvenience” and the delay as well.

The construction of the Jetty Port in Pook and the road that will link it to the KIA are likewise on-going. These projects are designed to shorten the trip from Kalibo to Boracay Island and enhance security, convenience and pleasure. It is also designed to entice the visitors to budget a part of their time to stay in Kalibo.

Almost all the 17 municipalities in Aklan does more tourism motivated projects to develop their promising areas to attract more people to visit, enjoy, and stay in their respective municipality. 

Provincial Agriculture

How about in agriculture productivity? Gov. Marquez through the Provincial Agriculture Office is promoting the use of hybrid rice to increase rice production. He is promoting abaca, coffee, mango, and cacao production among others. On fish, there is the “lambaklad”.

But hybrid rice will not yield expected quantity of production if water is scanty. Effective crop management is not possible. Is the Aklan irrigation effective and responsive to the needs of the crop? Is agricultural loans accessible to farmers at low interest rate with easy documentations for the purchase of fertilizer and other production inputs? Are the market prices of farm products attractive and will motivate farmers to produce more? Are post-harvest facilities available to reduce waste and improve product quality?

While the tourist development program is highly attended, support to farmers to induce production is largely inadequate, even nil.  

Irrigation system in Aklan is highly antiquated. There is flood when it rains, it is dry on sunny days. 

Farmers has no source of agricultural loan to finance the acquisition of farm inputs. Therefore, they are unable to follow recommended production practices resulting to poor yield.

The cost of farm production is comparatively higher than the price in the market, the consumers willing to pay. The prices of fertilizer and farm chemicals are uncontrolled while the prices of rice are controlled. A kilo of Rambutan in the market sells at P10 at a very slow turnover. Saba banana costs P0.40 to P0.80 per piece. It is the processor who profis most when cooked into banana-cue and sold at P6.00 a stick.

To improve marketing, there is the “Bagsakan Center” but for the last 10 years, it has never operated. The government spent P3 million to construct it. In Laguinbanua, Ibajay, the government has put up a “Field Level Grain Center” which cost P7 million. This is never utilized for the last 10 years. 

Victim

To any Aklanon who provides goods or services at cost, he/she is beneficiary of the provincial tourism industry. To an Aklanon who doesn’t sell either goods or services, he is a victim of the tourist boom.

The volume of people visiting Aklan will equally increase the volume of pollution, traffic, consumption of food, water, housing among others. In view of this increase in consumption and limited supply, prices of these commodities will correspondingly increase. 

An Aklanon whose income comes from salary is a victim of tourism. His salary is static which cannot cope up with increased prices of goods and services like foods. He becomes a victim of additional traffic, noise of airplanes landing and taking off 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The present Agriculture – Tourism Program is largely imbalanced. It is so favorable to the visitors but negative to the natives.

For any Aklanon to be tourism beneficiary, he must be able to sell something to the visitors. The government must intensify food production by providing all the factors of agricultural production. Government must design and implement programs and projects geared to allow Aklanons to benefit more from the tourist industry with particular emphasis on food production like beef, pork, chicken meat, egg, vegetables, fruits, flowers and fish. /MP