Angara cites importance of S&T to boost agri competitiveness

MANILA, Philippines – Sen. Edgardo J. Angara has called on the government to use science and technology (S&T) to “engineer resilience” into the country’s agricultural systems in order to remain competitive in the face of natural calamities.

“We have to utilize the tools that S&T gives us in order to create a more resilient nation. We are often left at the mercy of typhoons and natural disasters, but with the proper approach we can lessen the impact of these events by equipping ourselves with the tools to be better prepared,” said Angara.

Angara, chairman of the Congressional Commission on Science Technology and Engineering (COMSTE), identified the use of remote sensing for agriculture and supply chain logistics as well as biotechnology for food security as two flagship programs that were tagged as national priorities by the commission.

“Almost every time we are hit with a storm, our food supply is threatened. We need to become more resilient as these disasters come yearly,” said Angara. Initial Department of Agriculture (DA) reports indicate that 105,000 tons, or 10 percent of Cagayan Valley’s annual harvest has been damaged. Cagayan contributes 12 percent of the country’s production.

The National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) reported that the agriculture sector lost approximately P5 billion worth of crops due to typhoons Ondoy and Pepeng last year. The storms also disrupted the nation’s rice supply, forcing then President Arroyo to initiate imports to avert a shortage.

Angara cited a joint study by Columbia University and the World Bank titled ‘Natural Disaster Hotspots: A Global Risk Analysis’, which identifies the Philippines as one of the countries that are at high risk for six major natural hazards: earthquakes, volcanoes, landslides, floods, drought, and cyclones.

Angara noted that the Presidential Coordinating Council on Research and Development (PCCRD) identified the development of food and non-food crop varieties for high yield, quality and nutritional value and at the same time, able to adapt to unfavorable environments and pests and the development of enhanced systems that will minimize adverse environmental effects as key national priorities for 2010-2016.

Angara cited a report from COMSTE stating that in terms of R&D spending, the Philippines accounted for less than three percent of the total expenditures of the regions expenditures during 1981-2000 and that the number of R&D agencies has not grown significantly since 1996.

Angara said the productivity level of the agricultural sector has been growing by four percent in the last four years, but is not growing at a pace to match the needs of the growing population.

A 2005 study by Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) showed that for rice to meet a growing populations needs, a 3.5 percent average growth rate in production is needed, which is almost three times higher than the growth rate for rice in the 1990’s.

The same study indicated that the country has a “productivity crisis” in agriculture and agricultural research, development and extension (RD&E). The Philippines agricultural intensity ratio from the mid-1990’s until now is at 0.4 percent, as compared to neighbors like Malaysia 1.1 percent and Thailand 1.6 percent. The underinvestment in agricultural R&D is believed to be one of the main reasons why the Philippines does not compare well with other countries in the region in terms of yield and productivity for almost all crops.

To be competitive the research intensity ratio of 0.4 percent should be raised to 0.75 percent by the end of the year and up to 1.5 percent by 2020.

Angara said that even with the improvements in agricultural R&D since the 1990’s, there is still a need to pursue the strengthening of R&D systems, institutions, facilities and human resources. –Iris C. Gonzales (The Philippine Star)