By Louise Maureen Simeon (The Philippine Star), March 16, 2017
MANILA, Philippines – The Department of Agriculture (DA) has once again pushed back its rice self-sufficiency goal by another year to 2020 due to lack of available budget and as it buys more time to implement strategies to improve the sector.
“We have to make adjustments due to non-availability of funds. I’m still struggling,” Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol told reporters in a chance interview.
While he moved his target, Pinol is banking on strategies to achieve the goal including promotion of hybrid seeds, access to credit and loans, access to right marketing, and provision of post-harvest facilities.
To provide easy access to credit and financial assistance, the DA has proposed to Congress the enactment of a Quick Credit Facility (QCF) that will help farmers and fisherfolks.
The Agricultural Credit and Policy Council also launched the Survival and Recovery (SURE) Assistance Program for calamity-stricken farmers.
The DA will organize rice farmers into highly-functioning organizations and assist them in setting-up farmer-owned rice outlets in key areas to give producers access to market.
Through this strategy, the DA aims to eliminate unnecessary layers in the market system.
The DA will likewise prioritize the distribution of efficient post-harvest facilities.
It is seeking a P20-billion budget next year for the distribution of solar irrigation system, which forms part of the rice expansion program for 2017.
June 2025
Philippine Environment Month!
“Action for Nature, for the Future!”
Invoke Article 33 of the ILO Constitution
against the military junta in Myanmar
to carry out the 2021 ILO Commission of Inquiry recommendations
against serious violations of
Forced Labour and Freedom of Association protocols.
Accept National Unity Government (NUG)
of Myanmar. Reject Military!
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Monthly Observances:
1 Jun – World Day of Parents
5 Jun – World Environment Day
7 Jun – World Food Safety Day
8 Jun – World Oceans Day
12 Jun – World Day Against
Child Labour
15 Jun – World Elder Abuse Awareness Day
16 Jun – International Day of Family Remittances
17 Jun – World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought
20 Jun – World Refugee Day
25 Jun – Day of the Seafarer
27 Jun – Micro-, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises Day
Daily Observances:
First Saturday of July:
International Cooperative Day
in the Philippines
