Scientists say PH rice self-sufficiency by 2013 feasible

MANILA, Philippines – Officials of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), Department of Agriculture (DA), National Academy of Science and Technology (NAST), National Irrigation Administration (NIA), Department of Agriculture (DA), and the Philippine Council for Aquatic and Marine Research and Development (PCAMRD) met with media on Monday to address them on science helping agriculture.

Officials present were Undersecretary Joel Rudinas of the DA, President Dr. Emil Javier of the NAST, Administrator Antonio Nagel of NIA, ex-Director Luningning Domingo of the DOST, and Dr. Rafael Guerrero of the NAST with experts from PCAMRD, which he formerly headed.

In the briefing, several issues were raised and discussed, including government’s goal to be rice self-sufficient by 2013. The DA said the estimated yield necessary for rice self-sufficiency is 21.1 million metric tons for the year 2013.

One step that could help the country attain this is to promote alternatives to white rice like brown rice, kamote, casava, and even corn grits.

DA’s Rudinas said corn grits is still a very popular staple in the Visayas and Mindanao, and this could be tapped and promoted in the National Capital Region market, which has many Visayan and Mindanao migrants.

Other critical issues discussed were arable land and irrigation.

Nagel of the National Irrigation Administration indicated they have earmarked the necessary budgets to sustain their timetable.

This year’sbudget is P12.7 billion, the 2012 budget of P25 billion, and the 2013 budget of P20 billion are enough to hit the target of 292,000 hectares until 2013 to produce 21.1 million metric tons rice self-sufficiency.

Other strategies seen by the NIA are yielding 3 times the amount of crops in a year and the 3rd crop quick turn-around. This is a major target that would improve the once-a-year crop yield that most farms achieve now.

Also discussed in tien forum was the recent fish kill in Taal Lake.

The former head of PCAMRD and now member of the NAST Dr. Guerrero stressed the fish kill was not due to the any conditions brought about by volcanic activity but rather the sudden change to colder temperatures, making oxygen levels scarce, plus over-population of the fish pens.

He appealed to the fish pen owners to not be greedy and not over populate their pens. The high stocking rate, he said, has the tendency to backfire on them during cooler temperatures.

The DA wrapped up the discussion by appealing to the people to return to the old ways of consuming staple foods like corn grits, kamote, and casava to supplement white rice.

DA officials said this is part of the people’s cultural heritage. They added it was constant low prices of white rice vis-a-vis the fluctuating seasonal prices of alternative root crops that got more Filipinos to switch to white rice.

However, with DA’s efforts make root crops more available on a year-round basis, officials are hopeful for steady prices all-year round and more choices for the people. –TJ Manotoc, ABS-CBN News, abs-cbn