AGGIE UPDATES

Bountiful onion harvest forecast

BONGABON, Nueva Ecija -- This town’s 2,850 onion farmers are bullish about the coming harvest which was described as "bountiful."

Bongabon Mayor Amelia A. Gamilla cited the support for farmers of Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap in terms of seeds, a multi-million-peso irrigation network and portable irrigation generators, and coupons for P250 fertilizers subsidy.

It was also noted the importation and smuggling of onions have been limited to almost nil.

On Sept. 2 on the occasion of the 112th Unang Sigaw ng Nueva Ecija, President Arroyo distributed P1.2 billion in loans and subsidies to members of 48 farm cooperatives in the province.

After the distribution, the President asked the Novo Ecijano farmers to help feed the nation.

Gov. Aurelio M. Umali said Nueva Ecija is helping meet the country’s need for dollars through export of several agricultural products such as brown rice, rice, coffee and handicraft. -- MV

Goat raising thriving in IlocosVIGAN CITY -- Goat production has become a thriving enterprise in parts of the Ilocos Region, thanks to a Department of Agriculture-supported R and D project.

Called “Community-based Participatory Action Research (CPAR) Goat Agribusiness Development Project in Region I,” the undertaking is being implemented by the DA-Regional Field Unit I-Ilocos Integrated Agricultural Research Center.

A report on the CPAR-ABDP won the AFMA (Agriculture and Fisheries Modernization Act) Best Paper R and D Award – Development Research category given during the 2008 National Research Symposium.

NRS is an annual competition sponsored by the DA-Bureau of Agricultural Research headed by Director Nicomedes P. Eleazar that gives due recognition to outstanding researchers and their scientific works. It is participated in by researchers of DA bureaus and agencies and state colleges and universities.

The scientific paper on the goat project was authored by DA-RFU I-ILIARC researchers headed by Melinda Calumpit.

Through the project, goat production has considerably become popular as an important
component of Ilocandia’s agricultural system. It has benefited farmer-partners in terms of bigger goat stocks and increased income, and generated revenue for the local governments, the researchers noted.

“The project’s capability building activities have enabled the farmers to gain more knowledge and have better understanding and appreciation of goat production technologies which they eventually applied in their own goat farms,” they stated.

From 2005 to 2007, 586 farmers from 42 barangays of six towns in Pangasinan, La Union, Ilocos Sur, and Ilocos Norte had adopted the project.

The CPAR-ABDP was further considerably boosted by the establishment of three goat multiplier farms in Alaminos City, Sta. Maria, both in Pangasinan; and Candon City, Ilocos Sur. – Rudy A Fernandez

AGGIE UPDATES

Kalinga brew shown in international expo

TABUK CITY, Kalinga – Kalinga Brew, the pioneer commercialized coffee product in package distribution is finding its way to more Asian countries and Europe.

Antuza Refalda, proprietress and sole producer of the organic coffee product has gone to Hongkong last August this year and scheduled trips to China and Taiwan then to Italy to join international expositions. According to Dixie Catacutan of the Department of Science and Technology – Kalinga Training Center, Kalinga Brew and Kalinga Blend are being promoted in the international market through exhibits supported by their agency.

Antuza who went to Hongkong August 13-18 was able to introduce Kalinga Brew to the businessmen and people of the former crown city. Significant of her participation is the prospect of buying a machine from a fellow exhibitor from Hongkong to process candy from coffee. "Aside from introducing Kalinga Brew which is not known to many in Hongkong, I was able to find a machine used to make coffee candy," she proudly said. "And I'm going to buy one," she added.

During the exhibit she was able to receive book orders mostly from Overseas Filipino Workers who established a distribution center there. Though it's her second time to introduce her product in Hogkong, she said most of her patrons are OFWs but she is happy that Philippine coffee product penetrated one of Asia's most industrialized state and entertainment center.

In another development, the Department of Agriculture (DA) has also organized a team of Philippine exhibitors to the 5th China-ASEAN Exposition to be held in Nanning, China from Oct. 22-25 where Antuza Refalda's Nor-Fed Food Products is selected among 40 exhibits.

The participation of Filipino private exhibitors is aimed to promote and expand market for agro-fishery products and to enhance partnership with other foreign businessmen. "I thank DOST and DA for identifying us one of the exhibitors. My participation is not only to promote Nor-Fed products but also Kalinga's original organic coffee products," Refalda said. Refalda added she will travel to Taiwan and Italy early next year to introduce Kalinga Brew which is gaining prominence among coffee drinkers because of its special aroma particularly the selected processed coffee beans known as "Kapin de Motit (Civet coffee).

Last, week a private consultant hired by DOST was in town to give guidance to coffee producers in the province on how to further improve quality of processed coffee and how to engage in mass commercial production. -- PIA-Kalinga


Advances in research on abaca and papaya

The Department of Agriculture-Biotechnology Program Office has recently bared its recent research projects on papaya and abaca last July 30 at the University of the Philippines in Los Baños.

The presentation and field monitoring were done in three parts, said DA-BPO director Alicia Ilaga. The first part was the presentation of the research done by doctors Evelyn Mae T. Mendoza of the UPLB-Institute of Plant Breeding together with Simeona Siar and Antonio Laurena, who introduced papaya ringspot virus (PRSV) resistance to transgenic papaya (Carica papaya) with delayed ripening trait. This group says the target date for commercialization of the product is on 2010, and will be introduced to the market as a hybrid of papaya.

The papaya variant used for the experiment was Davao solo, which, according to the scientists, was the most common papaya variant in the market today. Through genetic engineering, the scientists were able to delay the ripening of the papaya. Then, the scientists introduced the PRSV resistance trait to the papaya with delayed ripening effect.

Efforts were mainly targeted against this virus since it is the most common papaya virus in the country, crippling the industry in Luzon since 1984. In 2003, the virus appeared in Leyte and Panay, as well as in South Cotabato and some parts of General Santos City, Davao del Norte and Davao del Sur.

PRS affects all stages of plant growth, from seedling to maturity. Green concentric ringspots appear on the fruit's surface. The plant also shows yellowing, mosaic, and deformed leaves, oily streaks on the stem and petioles, stunted growth and sterile fruits.

The delayed ripening trait of papaya will ensure farmers of larger income, as this will prevent postharvest losses due to rotting and will allow the transport of the fruit to remote markets. Dr. Siar reported that in one event, the fruit reached a full 14 days without rotting.

With the development of PRSV-resistant papaya with delayed ripening trait, the papaya industry will be assured of a good yield and farmers will enjoy higher incomes, Ilaga added.
Dr Teodora Dizon, also from IPB and a professor in CSC-UPLB, led the second presentation on the development of bunchy top, mosaic and bract mosaic resistance in abaca (Musa textilis) through radiation-induced mutation. The group says the product may be out in the market after four years.

Dizon's team exposed the abaca plants to doses of gamma rays to induce the plant's resistance to bunchy top, mosaic and bract mosaic viruses. Based on the study, one plant can only show resistance to only one type of virus. Dr Dizon also said that the product is competitive to the conventional plant. It is of good fiber quality and can compete with abaca plants that did not undergo irradiation. The plants will be commercialized through micropropagation.

Antonio Lalusin did the last presentation on his study on the development of molecular markers in abaca for use in breeding high fiber quality and bunchy top virus resistant cultivars. He developed hybrids by combining abaca and banana genes. Dr. Lalusin hopes to develop markers that will show which plant will possess good fiber quality, resistance to bunchy top virus and will most likely deliver higher yields.

After the presentation, the scientists showed the laboratories and the plants they were working with. The Philippines is the world's leading producer of abaca, providing 85 percent of the world's supply. The industry brings an annual income of $80 million.

However, due to infestation of bunchy top virus, which is the most dominant abaca disease, the industry output is down anywhere from 30 percent and 50 percent, the Fiber Industry Development Authority (FIDA) reported.

Faced with this big problem, FIDA, DA-BPO and IPB are continuously pushing to develop technologies to help the abaca industry recover from the adverse impact of these debilitating diseases.

Abaca plants infested with bunchy top virus will show a yellowish-white, chlorotic area on lamina and margins of unfurled leaf, mature leaves will become dark green, stiff, narrow, erect and necrotic.

The petioles begin to rise from the same plane at the upper end of the pseudostem resulting in a rosette or bunchy appearance. Infected plants may stay alive for years but they gradually become smaller and their leaves and leafsheaths turn brown before dying. – Arvee Villafuerte / Biolife News Service


TESDA schools to go into food production

In response to the directive of President Gloria Arroyo, Administrators of agriculture and fishery schools of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) take the lead their in full-scale food production to contribute to national food security.

TESDA agriculture and fishery schools nationwide will soon produce rice and other agricultural crops, livestock, and aquatic products in "commercial quantities," according to TESDA Director General Augusto Boboy Syjuco.

The administrators and officials of TESDA technology institutions gathered in Manila recently for a special meeting which focused on the discussion of the food production plans of each institution. Syjuco convened the meeting in response to the call of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo to utilize all tillable lands to ensure food security and sufficiency.

"The TESDA as a government institution will contribute to our country's food security. We have to tap and maximize the use of existing resources and harness our own expertise in increasing food production," he said.

According to Syjuco, TESDA technical institutions own a combined land area of 2,000 hectares which can be used for agri-fishery production. At present, these technology institutions use their land resources as training laboratories and experimental facilities for various agri-fishery courses. TESDA has 125 technology institutions all over the country.

Pastor Guiao, TESDA deputy director general for community and local government units services, exhorted the agri-fishery schools heads to increase production of agricultural crops, livestock, and aquatic products to contribute to national effort of averting food shortage in the country.

One of the food production plans presented in the meeting was the proposed cultivation and wide scale planting of dragon fruit by the Bangui Institute of Technology in Ilocos Norte. The exotic fruit is presently being grown in Pasuquin and Burgos towns. Another proposal which elicited deep interest among the school heads is the utilization of vermi composting technology to produce organic fertilizers for crop production.

While the agri-fishery schools chiefs noted that increasing food production in their respective schools would require funds for new equipment, support infrastructure, and other inputs, they agreed that implementing their food production plans as soon as possible will generate income for their schools, students and communities.

Incentives for aggie breakthroughs Director Alicia Ilaga of the Biotech Program Office of the Department of Agriculture has called for more incentives for biotechnologists who have developed high-yielding and pest-resistant crops.

Ilaga said researchers deserve to be rewarded for their scientific work and noted that this is consistent with the findings of a study done by the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) in cooperation with Sikap/Strife Foundation.

She added that these researchers have been working with the Department of Agriculture (DA) for the development of agricultural biotechnology products and their protection and commercialization.

According to the study, majority of the respondents believe that research and development (R&D) results should be commercialized and made public.

A few, however, expressed fear on the effects of biotech products on health and environment.
The researchers who answered in the affirmative say that private commercialization would solve the country's problem on food insufficiency, unemployment and poverty, and would provide faster dissemination of products/technologies to the public.

Moreover, they agree that biotech products would be useless if not commercialized. A small group, however, fears the negative effects of biotechnology on health and the environment. They also express concern about public sector R&D institutions taking profit from products that were initially funded by the state.

Intellectual property rights (IPR) also plays a key role to the planned commercialization. The scientists express concern on how the rights of the researchers and developers would be protected if their products were commercialized.

These findings are found to be closely associated on the respondent's knowledge on biotechnology and IPR awareness.

Those who are knowledgeable are most likely to give positive answers regarding the commercialization of biotech products. Results also imply that the respondents look at gaining and protecting IPR as crucial to commercialization and attracting investors to technologies that give them exclusive rights.

This supports the statement that research products will not create any impact unless the products will not reach the end users, or get commercialized. – Biolife News Service

Kalinga Unoy red rice tested on lowland farming TABUK CITY, Kalinga – The renowned Kalinga Unoy red rice, which thrives only in the upland region of the province was recently tested on lowland farming, for the first time. The project funded by an Australian non-government organization with local tie-up has experimented on a 23-hectare lowland farm, planted between June-July for a 6-month cropping period. The harvest is expected to come by December.

Project manager Brigida Valdez said the project area was distributed into three spots in Barangays Magabbangon and Mapaoay, here and in Rizal municipality.

During the planting when the rain came late, workers have to water the entire planting area using a mechanical water-pump as Unoy seeds need a soaked soil. Valdez revealed a very unconventional farming system introduced by the financier, where the plant is left with the bushes, after it starts to grow.

Valdez said their seeds came from the last harvested upland Unoy in the province. The Unoy industry heightened after its exportation to Montana USA by the Revitalized Indigenous Cordillera Entrepreneur (RICE) Inc, an NGO with links in the international market.

The last shipment quota made by the RICE, Inc. reached 10 tons and is even expected to increase as the price of the commodity earns better rates in the world market. Farmers get P80/kilo now from their produce from the P50/kilo starting price three years ago. This was a breakthrough for the Unoy industry since a new market is in the offing from the Australian financier, who vowed to bring the produce of the first cropping to his hometown, Valdez said.

According to Valdez, this development would effect an improvement in the buying price of Unoy, giving higher margins to farmers. “Unlike the one exported to Montana, which is produced through pure hand pounding, this one is milled by a special machine from Australia to be brought here by the financier.” The machine is designed to maintain the micro-nutrient requirement of the rice and its standard quality for international demand, she said. -- Larry Lopez

AGRI WATCH

DA to probe anomalous rice program for farmers unearthed in COA audit

The Department of Agriculture is investigating last year’s distribution by Municipal Agricultural Officers of government-subsidized seeds and fertilizer to farmer-beneficiaries in certain provinces where the Commission on Audit claimed to have found certain irregularities.

Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap said Thursday such a probe is necessary given the “serious charges” hurled by the COA against these MAOs who are not under the supervision and control of the DA as a result of the devolution of certain powers to local government units under the Local Government Code.

“An investigation is needed so the DA can pinpoint and file charges against the MAOs or other people responsible for such irregularities in a few provinces and at the same time clear the overwhelming majority of MAOs and other LGUs officials who have been doing a great job of helping the DA implement its farm productivity programs at the local level,” said Yap in a press conference.

The secretary welcomed the COA report even as he bewailed that the positive points raised by the COA were not given prominence, including the marked increase in per-hectare yields as a result of the subsidies given by the Arroyo government through the DA and the substantial assistance by DA technicians to farmer-beneficiaries under this program.

Yap said the DA does not purchase the inputs but only gives the subsidies or program funds to the accredited suppliers after a verification process based on the master lists of farmer-beneficiaries that had been submitted by the MAOs to the Department.

Under the availment system for such input subsidies, DA finance undersecretary Belinda Gonzales said that after the LGUs have prepared both the master lists of farmer-beneficiaries and farm input suppliers, the suppliers then deliver the inputs to designated drop-off points.

She said the farmers then acquire the inputs after complying with the requirements and signing the master lists, indicating the inputs received, in the presence of LGU representatives. Only after the LGUs have certified the signed master lists indicating the actual inputs received, will the DA regional offices pay the subsidies to the accredited suppliers, she added.

Yap said the COA report should be placed in the proper perspective because all the irregularities cited by the Commission involved operations of the MAOs and not of the DA. “We hope this COA report can be taken in the proper perspective,” he said. “We have to remember that when it comes to the implementation of programs, the MAOs and the agricultural technicians are the ones who implement them.”

He showed during the press conference a sample of the official document covering the subsidies indicating that aside from the farmer-beneficiaries, the other signatories on the master lists are only the MAOs, agricultural technicians and the provincial agricultural officials.

“Nonetheless, this investigation will also look into the possible complicity of certain DA people in the regional or provincial offices in the hope of coming up with a better implementation and monitoring system,” Yap said.

The investigation will likewise pry into the COA-reported claim by some of the MAOs that the supposed discrepancies were a result of changes in the recipients due to “political intervention,” which the COA did not elaborate on, he added. Yap pointed out that the DA recently forged an agreement with governors on the detail of MAOs to the Department’s regional units precisely to enable the DA to closely monitor from hereon the distribution by MAOs of DA-released fertilizer and seed subsidies to farmer-beneficiaries.

Under the DA’s Memorandum of Agreement with the League of Provinces of the Philippines, the local governments would assign some or all of their agriculture officers to the DA for the duration of the government’s two-year, five-harvest program to raise the country’s rice self sufficiency level to at least 98%.

The DA aims to attain this self-sufficiency level by raising yields to 18.55 million metric tons next year and 19.77 million MT in 2010.

As a result of the sustained, higher farm spending by President Arroyo, Philippine agriculture grew by a high of 4.7% in the first semester of 2008, as against 3.74% in the same period last year, largely on the back of the strong performance of palay, corn and the rest of the crops subsector.

AGGIE UPDATE

‘Quick turnaround’ increases palay yield by 50% in Santiago

SANTIAGO CITY — A rice-planting program, dubbed "Quick Turnaround" (QTA) and launched last May in this city, has proven successful despite the unexpected weather aberrations in the region.

Santiago City Agriculture Officer Solomon Maylem said that QTA was designed to allow farmers to plant in mid-summer and harvest by early September. This enables them to plant again in early October and harvest by January for the second-cropping season.

"Normally, there are only two rice-cropping seasons in Isabela, but because of the irrigation water provided by the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) in the province, including Santiago City, we are qualified to join the ‘singit’ (insert) rice cropping program of the national government," Maylem said.

Because of the extended planting calendar, the continuity of rice cropping does not allow wide gaps between harvest time and planting time.

The extra cropping season in between the regular cropping seasons has shortened the period for the dormancy of the seed stocks and literally adds 50 percent more yield to to the regular yearly production.

"As a result, we are now coming up with two more cropping periods until next summer to complete a one-year calendar for three copping seasons. Meaning if one was used to harvest 240 cavans of palay per hectare a year, a minimum of 90 cavans harvested during the "singit" season is added to the production of the two regular cropping periods, resulting in total harvest of some 330 cavans per hectare a year," Maylem said.

Asked why only 90 cavans are expected from the "singit" cropping, Maylem said the reduced yield is due to the short daylight during the ‘ber’ months.

"The absence of full-day sunshine reduces the prolificacy of rice pinnacles to full range, so we cannot expect the same output as those during the regular cropping seasons when there is abundant sunshine," he said.

Of the 7,700 hectares of irrigated rice lands in the city, 5,000 hectares were qualified for the QTA program launched last summer. But due to some reasons only 3,800 hectares were covered and subsidized by both the national government through the agriculture department and the city government.

"Those who planted pure breed or foundation seeds got R1,500 subsidy per bag (good for one hectare) from the national government, while those who planted certified seeds got R760 subsidy per bag from the city government, plus free organic and foliar fertilizers to all farmers who availed themselves of the program," said Santiago Mayor Amelita Sison-Navarro. -- CP

AGGIE UPDATES

Pilar starts planting Jatropha for bio diesel

PILAR, Bataan - This town has started planting Jatropha for bio diesel generating hundreds of job opportunities and revenue in this investor-friendly town.

Mayor Charlie Pizarro, Jr. said a total of 500 hectares will be planted initially for jatropha in Barangay Liyang and this can become bigger once the area becomes productive. Pizarro said areas to be planted were once idle land but this can become now productive since jatropha can easily grow even on sandy, gravelly and saline soils.

“Of course, I cannot allow our productive land to be planted with jatropha,” stressed the young mayor. Pizarro pointed out that since Pilar town is one of the major rice producers in the province, “this will not affect the food production program of our town.”

Under the scheme, Pizarro said that the project will be a community-based program where the members of the community themselves will be the one to plant, grow and harvest the jatropha, giving his constituents the opportunity to earn additional income.

The project is a joint undertaking by the Phil. Forest Corp., the Municipality of Pilar and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources .

Pizarro said, however, that there is no problem for the market since the Phil. Forest itself will be the one to buy the harvested jatropha seeds.

Owing to the series of price hike of petroleum the national government has introduced the planting of jatropha as one of the sources of diesel in the country.

According to Pizarro, the harvesting period can usually start a year after planting, saying this can be a continuing program since it has an economic life from 35 to 50 years.

This town is also strategically located in the province with its wide and concreted national and provincial roads and is only three kilometers away from the Capital City of Balanga, the center for commerce. – Mar T Supnad


Fertilizer subsidy for rice production in Benguet given
LA TRINIDAD, Benguet -- The Department of Agriculture-Regional Field Unit turned-over 6,546 coupons worth P1,636,500 to the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist of Benguet for distribution to participating rice farmers under the government’s Rice Self-Sufficiency Program (RSSP).

Lolita Bentres, Provincial Agriculturist, acknowledged the completion of the DA’s counterpart in the provision of coupons worth P250.00 for the rice farmers of Benguet, who are beneficiaries of the DA-LGU Fertilizer Subsidy Program in pursuance to the RSSP.

The identification and masterlisting of program beneficiaries were undertaken by the LGUs as one of the requirement for the release of the fertilizer coupons.

Bentres reported during turn-over ceremonies of vegetable seeds and processed chicken manure held at the provincial capitol Aug. 12 OPAG completed required documents for release and distribution of fertilizer coupons to participating rice farmers in Benguet.

Recorded releases of fertilizer coupons from the regional DA-RFU intended for rice farmers in the region show that an initial release of 650 coupons was given to Itogon, Benguet last month.
Another 5,890 was released and picked up by Derman Dalmo, provincial rice program coordinator on Aug. 11.

The targeted fertilizer coupons allocated for the province of Benguet is 8,380. The total allocation of fertilizer coupons for the whole region is 151, 418 coupons with over 70 percent already given to the provincial LGUs.

For Benguet, Dalmo said coupons will be distributed by the offices of the municipal agriculturist in Atok with 466 coupons; Bakun, 500 coupons; Itogon, 650 coupons; Kabayan, 224 coupons; Kapangan, 1,350 coupons; Kibungan, 1,152 coupons; La Trinidad, 82 coupons; Mankayan, 192 coupons; Sablan which submitted its masterlist this week has 444 coupons; Tuba, 1,095 coupons; and Tublay, 391 coupons. The municipality of Bokod has yet to submit a masterlist of farmer beneficiaries. The municipality of Buguias reported that their farmers have not planted rice this season.

Dalmo said concerned municipal agriculturists were informed of availability of the coupons.
He said the provincial subsidy counterpart for distribution to the masterlisted rice farmers of the province is in progress.

The municipal LGUs are also expected to give their financial counterpart in the implementation of the DA-LGU Fertilizer Subsidy Program. -- Robert Domoguen

AGGIE UPDATE

Gawad Saka award for Vigan

VIGAN CITY — The Vigan City Agriculture and Fishery Council was adjudged as the country’s most outstanding organizational achiever in this year’s annual national search for Gawad Saka awardees, it was reported.

The Vigan CAFC won the prestigious award after garnering high rating in all aspects considered in the evaluation. The council initiated the provision of certified and hybrid seeds, irrigation facilities, post-harvest facilities, cattle-dispersal projects, integrated pest management training, hammer mills, and power sprayers. It had also strengthened farmers cooperatives.

In the livestock sector, the council provided veterinary services to farm animals such as deworming, castration, anti-rabies vaccination, and vitamin supplements.

Through its Rural Improvement Club and 4-H Club, the council effectively campaigned for backyard food production, launched income-generating projects, and promoted swine and poultry raising and meat processing. It likewise undertook goat dispersal and buying and selling of rice.

City Mayor Eva Marie Singson-Medina was elated upon learning that the Vigan CAFC won the national award. "This coveted award could not have been achieved by the city without the all-out cooperation of our residents," she said.

The mayor said the city agriculture office headed by Cecilio Q. Acena Jr., with the cooperation of the CAFC under the chairmanship of Melanio Aquino, continues to encourage people’s participation and empowerment in agriculture and fishery development through sectoral representation in the agricultural policy-making body.

CAFC is tasked to formulate and execute plans to meet the needs of consumers and promote self-reliant farm systems that emphasize social justice, equity, productivity, and sustainability in the use of agriculture and fishery resources.

For the last two consecutive years, 2006 and 2007, Vigan CAFC was chosen as the outstanding CAFC in Region 1. But through its efforts to continuously implement, monitor, and evaluate sustainable programs and projects to uplift the living standards of rural people, the council won the award.

For winning the award, the Vigan CAFC is expected to receive a cash prize of P150,000, a trophy, and a citation. Mayor Medina will receive the award in Malacanang.

The Gawad Saka Award showcases achievements and success stories of small-scale farmers and fishermen who have increased their harvest through the use of modern technology.

The award is also aimed at empowering agriculture achievers by recognizing their noble contribution to agricultural development. The Gawad Saka is a yearly undertaking of the Department of Agriculture in cooperation with other government agencies, non-governmental organizations, and the private sector. – Freddie G. Lazaro I


Improving farmers’ lives with postharvest facilities
The Department of Agriculture continues to assist farmers in developing the corn industry of the Cordillera with the provision of postharvest facilities, equipment and production inputs.

From 1994 to 2008, the DA has provided a total of 1114 corn postharvest facilities and equipment to farmers’ cooperatives, local government units and state colleges and universities to promote and improve the livelihood of corn farmers in the region. The total cost of the facilities and equipment provided to the industry is P2,600,000.00 jointly shared by the DA, proponent LGU, and the beneficiaries. The total share of the DA is the purchase and set-up of these vital facilities and equipment is P1,200,000.00.

A report furnished by Gerardo Banawa, Regional Coordinator of the GMA corn program in the Cordillera to DA regional executive director Cesar Rodriguez showed that farmers requested drying facilities, bodegas, sheds, warehouses, rice mill, trading post, thresher, sheller, huster, packaging and processing plants, among others.

Some of the funds of the program were shared to Benguet Province in the establishment of bodega, packaging and processing plant for fruits and vegetables, improvement of vegetable trading post facility and development of pre-cooling center. Most of the facilities and equipment went to Kalinga Province with 381, followed by Apayao with 220; Abra, 177; Ifugao, 165; Mt. Province, 86; and, Benguet, 82.

The corn area in the Cordillera has dramatically increased through the years starting from an estimated 20,000 hectares in CY 2000 to 48,010.36 hectares today planted to white and yellow corn varieties. In the GMA-Corn program areas, the actual production of corn last year was recorded at 58,035 metric tons. The targeted production in these areas is expected to expand further this year to 65,187 metric tons.

This year, the GMA-Corn Program of the DA will assist corn growers with seed subsidy, organic-based production inputs, farm mechanization equipment, postharvest facilities, farmers’ education and support to LGU extension workers. It also supports marketing and research activities for corn development in the Cordillera. – Robert L. Domoguen

ENVIRONMENT WATCH

P2.6 M for Vizcaya watershed from Japan

BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya – This province, considered as Cagayan Valley’s watershed, has been the recipient of a financial aid being provided by the Japan government for watershed protection efforts here.

The P2.6-million grant, issued recently by Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs through a tie-up between a Japanese non-government organization and its Philippine counterpart, would be utilized in support of the province’s forest protection and conservation project dubbed “Promotion of Participatory Forest Management in the Critical Areas of Nueva Vizcaya.”

The Japanese-based NGO, Global Link Management Institute and its local counterpart, the Philippine Rural Reconstruction Movement have been spearheading the implementation of the project in partnership with the participating local government units and other stakeholders here.

GLMI’s Makiko Watanabe said that the project, covering 32 hectares of watershed and forest areas here, is also being implemented in coordination with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and the Department of Education. The areas covered by the project, formed part of the province’s remaining forests, are in the upland towns of Kasibu, Kayapa, Santa Fe and Dupax Del Sur, where soil erosion is reported to be alarming.

This, Watanabe said, may be replicated in other parts of the province’s watershed areas, depending on their success. What is important during the initial stages, she said, would be to further enhance the capacity of the stakeholders, especially the communities, in fostering a comprehensive and responsible approach to forest land use.

For the project to succeed, Merlinda Calubaquib, PRRM area manager and joint project leader, said that there is a need to achieve sustainable forest management through secure land tenure, fair application of environmental laws and devolution and training of the functions of protecting the environment to the barangay level.

Task force to decide landfill site selection
BAGUIO CITY – A task force to study the offers and decide on the final site of the planned engineered sanitary landfill for the city will be formed by the city mayor soon. City administrator Peter Fianza whom Mayor Reinaldo Bautista Jr. tasked to oversee the garbage management concerns announced that the city executive will create the body which he said is expected to first and foremost decide on setting a timetable for the selection process starting with imposing the cut-off date for receiving offers for possible sites.

He said the task force will assess and investigate all the offered sites, implement a selection process based on the guidelines and point systems established by the Solid Waste Management Board and select the most appropriate site. The result of the selection will be submitted to the city council for confirmation.

Fianza said the city has received 20 additional offers for possible landfill sites.
He said they expect the whole process of selection and approval on the sides of both parties to take not less than a year. The establishment of the sanitary landfill has been identified as a long-term solution to the city’s waste management problem.

While it is being worked out, the city is also implementing remedial measures like the purchase of equipment like smelting machines and pulverizers, establishment of materials recovery facilities in the barangays and improvement of the existing composting plant at the Irisan dumpsite. To complement this, the city continues to promote the 3Rs (Reuse, Reduce, Recycle) among households. Acting Mayor Daniel Farinas said the collection of wastes continues as scheduled every Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday with the hauling still being conducted by Metro Waste and local contractors.

Farinas said the city mayor acted in good faith in tapping the services of Metro Waste without undergoing the process of entering into a contract and other procedures required by the law because it was done in response to the exigency of the situation at that time.

Reacting to some councilors’ criticism of Metro Waste’s enlistment, Farinas said city officials must concentrate on the need to find solution to the problem instead of finding fault. He expressed confidence that remedies can still be made for the city to compensate Metro Waste for its services despite problems in the approval of the budget for said purpose.

He said that for as long as the service rendered was for the benefit of the people, legal remedies can always be resorted to by the city to justify payment to the service provider. Efforts to initially pay Metro Waste faced a snag after the ordinance allocating P10 million for the payment of its services for the first part of July was returned unsigned by the city mayor due to procedural lapse. Another request for the payment of obligation to Metro Waste for the last part of July was denied by the body. The body on motion of Councilor Richard Carino also called for an investigation of the Metro Waste deal after allegedly receiving information that the tipping fee being charged was doubled.

The body however approved the allocation of another P10 million for the continuation of hauling services for the month of August. In other moves, the body also approved the allotment of P15 million for the development of the city government property in Irisan as temporary garbage residual containment area and another P7.4 million for the acquisition or lease of a lot for a permanent residual site. – Aileen P. Refuerzo

AGGIE UPDATES

Low vegetable supply seen
DEXTER A. SEE

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet – The food security situation, now plagued by the rice crisis, is feared to turn worst as agriculture stakeholders in this province predict a shortage of vegetable supply in the coming months. They said the low vegetable supply will come as a result of the reduction in planting areas which is caused by the soaring prices of farm inputs. This is, in turn, caused by the endless increase in the prices of petroleum products in the world market.

Many farmers in this vegetable-producing province said they are forced to reduce their planting areas by as much as 50 percent because the prices of farm inputs have risen to levels beyond their capacity to shoulder.

Moreover, they said, the one-time fertilizer subsidy given to them by the Department of Agriculture is barely felt due to the more than 75 percent increase in the prices of farm inputs.

Benguet is the source of at least 80 percent of the country’s vegetable supply. The reduced production in the province is expected to result in the scarcity of vegetables in the market in the next few months.

Another cause of the low production of vegetables is the low level of the buying prices of the produce. This is a disincentive to the farmers who are encountering difficulty in meeting the high production cost, the stakeholders said. Because of this situation, many farmers are now forced to look for other sustainable sources of livelihood, aside from farming. Several farmers abandon farming and migrate to the urban areas which they see as greener pasture.

From a little over R1,000 per bag of fertilizer, the price of this vital farm input has doubled or even tripled in the last three months, "virtually killing the local vegetable industry," the stakeholders said.

While some farmers have decided to continue producing vegetables, they opted to reduce their planting areas by as much as 60 percent. The income from the reduced planting areas is just enough for the basic needs of their families, they said.

The remaining 40 percent of their land would be left idle for the meantime. Agri-business people in the province said the reduced production areas for vegetables in the current planting season would surely result in shortage of vegetable supply in the country in the next few months.

They feared that in this eventuality, smugglers might take advantage of the situation by bringing in cheap vegetables from China. If this happens, they said, the vegetable industry in this province might collapse.

If the national government does not act immediately to ease the burden caused by expensive farm inputs, the over 250,000 people engaged in vegetable growing would lose their primary source of livelihood.

AGGIE UPDATES

Planting malunggay

VIGAN CITY – Never underestimate the “lowly” malunggay. National Anti-Poverty Commission Secretary Domingo Panganiban urged the local officials and residents to continue planting malunggay trees at vacant lots citing benefits derived from it. Secretary Panganiban was recently here in the province to attend a meeting of agencies involved in the implementation of the national KALAHI convergence program. The meeting was held at a beach resort in Cabugao.

He said that there are significant food nutrients that can be derived from malunggay. "A cup of malunggay leaves boiled with hot water is equivalent to three glasses of milk, and it is equivalent to five pieces of carrots in terms of calcium or potassium, beta carotene and Vitamin A."

"It is also equivalent of four pieces of banana, lakatan variety," Panganiban said. "Malunggay leaves when grounded into powder are best and nutritious ingredient in baking bread."

The secretary lauded the efforts of Ilocos Sur Gov. Deogracias Victor "DV "B. Savellano to go "back to basic" in agriculture, noting the newly created 16-hectare barangay demo farm in Barangay Labnig, San Juan town.

In the plant section of the Demo farm, more than 500 malunggay plants are seen growing on the sides of plots and near the pheriperal fences. The demo farm has large plots of assorted vegetables, called the "pinakbet garden," sweet corn, soya beans, peanuts, pigeon pea, hundreds of jackfruit trees, hundreds of banana plants, hundreds of coconut trees, malunggay trees, sunflowers, hundreds katuday trees, mongo, sorghum and tobacco.

Being raised in the animal section of the farm are several heads of cattle, carabaos, goats, native pigs, sheeps, chicken, geese, turkey, and fighting cocks.

Upon assumption of office last year, Governor Savellano started the massive planting of malunggay in the province. "A malunggay tree is easier to grow, and it does not need fertilizer or irrigation but only "TLC" or the ‘tender loving and care,’" Secretary Panganiban said.

Studies in the Philippines and other countries shown that malunggay is nature’s "medicine" with all the parts of the tree, besides the leaves, having medicinal or therapeutic value.

AGGIE UPDATE

Planting malunggay
FREDDIE LAZARO

VIGAN CITY – Never underestimate the “lowly” malunggay. National Anti-Poverty Commission Secretary Domingo Panganiban urged the local officials and residents to continue planting malunggay trees at vacant lots citing benefits derived from it. Secretary Panganiban was recently here in the province to attend a meeting of agencies involved in the implementation of the national KALAHI convergence program. The meeting was held at a beach resort in Cabugao.

He said that there are significant food nutrients that can be derived from malunggay. "A cup of malunggay leaves boiled with hot water is equivalent to three glasses of milk, and it is equivalent to five pieces of carrots in terms of calcium or potassium, beta carotene and Vitamin A."

"It is also equivalent of four pieces of banana, lakatan variety," Panganiban said. "Malunggay leaves when grounded into powder are best and nutritious ingredient in baking bread."

The secretary lauded the efforts of Ilocos Sur Gov. Deogracias Victor "DV "B. Savellano to go "back to basic" in agriculture, noting the newly created 16-hectare barangay demo farm in Barangay Labnig, San Juan town.

In the plant section of the Demo farm, more than 500 malunggay plants are seen growing on the sides of plots and near the pheriperal fences. The demo farm has large plots of assorted vegetables, called the "pinakbet garden," sweet corn, soya beans, peanuts, pigeon pea, hundreds of jackfruit trees, hundreds of banana plants, hundreds of coconut trees, malunggay trees, sunflowers, hundreds katuday trees, mongo, sorghum and tobacco.

Being raised in the animal section of the farm are several heads of cattle, carabaos, goats, native pigs, sheeps, chicken, geese, turkey, and fighting cocks.

Upon assumption of office last year, Governor Savellano started the massive planting of malunggay in the province.

"A malunggay tree is easier to grow, and it does not need fertilizer or irrigation but only "TLC" or the ‘tender loving and care,’" Secretary Panganiban said.

Studies in the Philippines and other countries shown that malunggay is nature’s "medicine" with all the parts of the tree, besides the leaves, having medicinal or therapeutic value.

The leaves of malunggay, dubbed as "miracle tree," are discovered to be most nutritious bio-food on earth because it contains various nutrients such as calcium, protein, vitamin A (beta carotene), Vitamin C, iron, potassium, minerals, and amino acids.

The leaves and flowers of malunggay are ideal food for breastfeeding mothers, malnourished children and the elderly.

The leaves can also help in the treatment of headache, bleeding caused by a shallow cut or wound, insect bites, bacterial or fungal skin, gastric ulcers and and diarrhea. The pods are used in the treatment for worm, liver, and spleen problems, and joint pains.

Malunggay is also known to fight cancer. Scientists reported that it can hike male potency by spurring more sperm production.

The seeds of malunggay, when mixed with coconut oil or with its seed oil, can be used to treat arthritis, rheumatism, gout, cramps, sexually transmitted diseases (STD), urinary problems, epilepsy, and boils. The seeds are also good for water purification or cleaning contaminated water.

AGGIE UPDATE

San Mateo’s peach- orange salted eggs

SAN MATEO, Isabela -- This town is fast gaining a niche in the salted-egg industry with residents now enjoying results of a duck-dispersal program launched by the municipal government a few years back.

San Mateo had also been noted for its environmentally-friendly practices and Galing Pook award-winning mungbean program for which Mayor Roberto Agcaoili was cited as Isabela’s most outstanding mayor last year.

Now, there is an abundance of duck eggs produced every day by recipient families in the town’s 33 barangays.

This prompted a local women’s group to engage in salted egg production.

Led by Dr. Crispina Agcaoili, who is the mayor’s wife, the Isabela Green Ladies Organization created a livelihood arm called "Pag-asa Bayanihan Association."

"While we maintain our established role in keeping sustainable environmental and health-protection campaign in town, we were prompted to come up with a livelihood group in order to keep many bodies and souls together, figuratively speaking," Agcaoili said.

The group has opted to focus on egg processing not only to provide jobs for many housewives but also to add value and keep a sustainable market for the town’s daily egg production.

"Because salted-egg processing is done in many places in the country, we have developed our own version to have a distinct taste quality and uniquely different color," the mayor’s wife said.

The San Mateo salted egg is organically colored with the locally grown "atsuete." "We do not use the conventional red or fuchsia pink chemical dyes to color our salted eggs because it was discovered by food experts that when it penetrates the egg interior and eaten, it could be hazardous to one’s health," Doctor Agcaoili said.

Unlike the common red salted eggs in the market, the San Mateo salted egg tastes not too salty and has an immaculate-white, oily-yellow yolk with uniquely peach-orange coat which attracts many consumers.

"Sobrang sarap (It’s so delicious) that I even ask a friend to regularly send trays of salted eggs to me in Manila. It’s mouth-watering, and one can’t resist it," said budding photojournalist and 2006 Miss Isabela beauty titlist Mary Ann Laggui who goes to school in the big city.

University of La Salette coed Leanne Lopez of Alicia town said she would secretly hire a tricycle to go to the adjacent town of San Mateo just to buy a tray of salted eggs.

"Once you have tasted it, you would crave for more," the student said.

Because of the popularity that the San Mateo salted egg has gained, the San Mateo municipal government has registered it as its "One Town, One Product" (OTOP) with the Department of Trade and Industry.

The San Mateo salted egg has stood out in many national trade fairs, selling an average of 5,000 pieces a day.

Mayor Agcaoili said he will push for the upgrading of the duck breeds to increase production and meet the high demand for San Mateo’s processed eggs. -- CP


Strong palay harvests despite typhoons -- DA Agriculture officials remain hopeful they can still achieve this year’s palay production target of 17.32 million, or 6.67 percent higher than last year’s record yield of 16.24 million MT, as summer harvests have already exceeded the original projection by 200,000 MT or four million bags of unmilled rice.

Secretary Arthur Yap of the Department of Agriculture said DA officials believe they can also hit their original target of 10 million-plus tons for the wet or main cropping season despite the onslaught of typhoon “Frank,” on condition that they can implement fully and quickly enough their proposed farm rehabilitation program to offset production losses in Western Visayas and 11 more regions buffeted by the cyclone.

“Given the better-than-expected summer harvests as a result of the Arroyo administration’s continued higher spending on intervention measures meant to boost palay productivity, we remain hopeful about similarly hitting our original production target for the wet crop once we get the go-signal from Malacañang to implement our farm rehabilitation program for the palay-growing provinces hardest-hit by typhoon ‘Frank,’” Yap said.

Yap gave this forecast as the latest report by DA’s Rice Action Center (DARAC), which is headed by Undersecretary Jesus Emmanuel Paras, showed that farmers have already reaped 7.3 million MT, or 200,000 tons more than the 7.1-million-ton target for the dry or summer crop, from 1.79 million hectares planted to the grain.

Total harvest volume, which is already 8.96% more than the 6.7 million MT produced in last year’s dry crop, will even go higher because the latest DARAC covers only 92% of the 1.94 million hectares devoted to palay this season.

DARAC reported that Central Luzon and Cagayan Valley— where 92.86% and 95.77% of their respected palay fields have already been harvested—produced the highest yields at 1.4 M MT and 1.13 M MT, respectively, as of end-June. Farmers in all regions have harvested their crops in more than 90% of all palay fields, save for those in the Cordillera Administrative Region and Bicol, where the respective harvest areas covered 87.30% and 74.18% of total acreage, DARAC bared.

To hit or surpass its production target in the wet crop, Yap had directed the DA’s Regional Executive Directors (REDs) to start working out with governors and mayors the intervention programs such as fertilizer subsidies that local government units can help bankroll with Internal Revenue Allotment differentials that LGUs are about to receive following President Arroyo’s recent issuance of an Executive Order monetizing such IRA funds.

President Arroyo issued EO 723 two months ago on the understanding that local executives will use part of the money to fund food production programs in their respective localities. Totalling P12.5 billion, the would-be monetized IRA funds represent the difference between the amount that LGUs were supposed to get and what they did receive when the national budgets were just re-enacted in fiscal years 2001 and 2004.

Yap said LGUs could use their IRA share to, among others, provide counterpart funds for a new DA program to provide fertilizer subsidies to palay farmers equivalent to P250 per bag. The DA started distributing such discount coupons last month in major palay-growing regions like Nueva Ecija and Pangasinan as well as in typhoon-ravaged provinces like Iloilo and Romblon, in time for the wet crop.

With fertilizer prices doubling in the domestic market to a range of P1,500 to P1,900 per bag from their year-ago levels in the face of the sharply rising petroleum prices, Yap said this joint subsidy program of the DA and LGUs will certainly help cushion the impact of this price spiral on local farmers and encourage them to use more of this vital input to further increase their per-hectare yields.

A formal partnership with LGU executives, highlighted by the detail of devolved local-government agricultural technicians to the Department’s regional offices, had been forged by the DA with the League of Provinces of the Philippines .

Also, a separate “collaborative extension service” arrangement between the DA and state universities and colleges was worked out during a recent consultative meeting with the heads of 40 SUCs.

Moreover, Yap and Speaker Prospero Nograles Jr. signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) last month committing participating members of the House of Representatives to each allot P5 million of their Priority Development Assistance Fund or PDAF allocations for credit support to farmers in their respective congressional districts.

The DA presented to Malacañang during the last Cabinet meeting a rehabilitation program for the typhoon-hit provinces that includes subsidies for certified and good seeds, inorganic fertilizer and Bio-N or microbial inoculants, and transport and hauling support for farmers with damaged palay and corn lands.

For typhoon-affected fisheries stakeholders the DA’s relief plan includes a fry/fingerling dispersal program; handout of fishing gear like payaos, bancas, fish traps, fish corrals and gillnets; replacement of buoys and markers in fish sanctuaries; and the repair of damaged facilities of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR).

For the HVCC subsector, the plan provides for subsidies for seeds, tissue cultured plantlets or other planting materials for vegetable, banana and mango growers in completely damaged areas, plus the intensified implementation of technology transfer programs to encourage the off-season production of these high-value crops.

Subsidies for feed assistance to backyard swine raisers, a native chicken dispersal project, animal health programs and laboratory services are also be included in the rehabilitation plan for the benefit of affected stakeholders in the livestock and poultry sub-sector. – DA press release

AGGIE UPDATE

Rep. Dangwa funds Arabica growers

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet -- Arabica coffee farmers in Benguet got a significant boost with the release of much needed funds by the office of Rep. Samuel Dangwa last week.

The Bokod Arabica Coffee Growers Association, Inc. (BACGAI) that received the fund release of P250,000 purchased around 30,000 seedlings for distribution to its members all over Benguet. Ernest Dangwa representing the congressman, together with Engr. Roberto K. Fernando, Jr. and Donald Diwas; BACGAI president and treasurer, respectively, inspected the seedlings delivered to one of the farms recently.

“The initial purchase would jump-start the development of the coffee farming industry in Benguet as there is now high demand for Benguet coffee, particularly the Arabica brand,” Fernando said. Organized in 2006, the BACGAI has started establishing Arabica coffee farm plantations in the Municipality of Bokod with an objective to provide more employment and agri-business for the community.

The coffee farmer-members of the organization, according to Fernando, intend to plant thousands of coffee Arabica seedlings, including shade trees, to help meet the demand for the Benguet coffee brand in the local and global market. The Department of Agriculture and the Office of the Congressman in Benguet have been supporting the BACGAI through trainings, seeds and seedlings production and providing for farm implements. So far, the member-farmers planted around 250,000 seedlings and trees in the barangays of Daclan, Karao, Pito, Poblacion, Ambuclao, Bobok and Tikey, and were able to revive old but existing plantations. – March L. Fianza


Agriculture ‘key’ to RP economic growth
BAGUIO CITY -- The enhancement of the local agriculture industry nationwide would be a potent factor in propelling the country’s economy.

This was the contention of officials of the Regional Development Council in the Cordillera and militant groups who are strongly advocating sufficient government support for the country’s agriculture sector to address the rice crisis and food problems in some parts of the country.

Both government and private sectors were demanded a holistic approach on the current food crisis in the country that saw the prices of rice rise to over P40 a kilo despite repeated pronouncement by government officials on the sufficient supply of rice in the country.

At the same time, the multi-sectoral groups in the Cordillera are calling on the National Food Authority to flood the market with its abundant supply of locally-produced and imported rice to mitigate the effects of the so-called abnormal supply of cheap rice coupled with the hoarding activities done by big-time rice traders and retailers.

While expressing their support on mitigating measures by concerned government agencies, the RDC and the National Irrigation Administration in the Cordillera sought national government policy for the stoppage of the conversion of vast tracks of agricultural lands to industrial lands that would eventually hamper production of rice and other high value agricultural crops instrumental in sustaining the country’s food security for the future generation.

Ironically, militant groups admitted the government is simply putting a stop-gap measure on the effects of the food crisis but it does not have the concrete and realistic programs and projects that would propel the country’s agriculture sector into greater heights.

Cordillera groups are seeking utmost government support on preservation of the region’s vital watersheds as the Cordillera is considered “watershed cradle of Northern Luzon.” Without proper preservation and protection efforts, they said the vast track of agricultural lands in the Ilocos, Cagayan and Central Luzon regions might dry up and would lead to a food crisis the next few years.

Environmentalists predicted a serious water crisis in Northern Luzon the next five years if no concrete effort is done by both government and private sectors to preserve the dwindling watersheds of upstream Cordillera.

The RDC appealed for a collaborative effort in environmental preservation and protection among the local government units of Northern and Central Luzon to maintain abundant water supply for the various river systems flowing down the agricultural lands of the North as well as instill participatory watershed management among the affected communities so that people will be provided with the real information on the negative effects of massive deforestation which is considered to be detrimental in the country’s agriculture sector. – Dexter A. See

AGGIE UPDATE

Agriculture ‘key’ to economic growth
DEXTER A SEE

BAGUIO CITY – The promotion and enhancement of the local agriculture industry nationwide would be a potent factor in propelling the country towards the modern era.

This was disclosed by officials of the Regional Development Council (RDC) in the Cordillera and militant groups who are strongly advocating for sufficient government support for the country’s agriculture sector in order to address the prevalent rice crisis and food security problems in some parts of the country.

Both government and private sectors were in unison in demanding for a holistic approach on the current food crisis in the country that saw the prices of rice rise to over P40 a kilo despite repeated pronouncement by government officials on the sufficient supply of rice in the country.

At the same time, the multi-sectoral groups in the cordillera are calling on the National Food Authority (NFA) to flood the market with its abundant supply of locally-produced and imported rice to mitigate the effects of the so-called abnormal supply of cheap rice coupled with the hoarding activities done by big-time rice traders and retailers.

While expressing their support on the various mitigating measures being undertaken by concerned government agencies, the RDC and the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) in the cordillera is seeking national government policy for the stoppage of the conversion of vast tracks of agricultural lands to industrial lands that would eventually hamper the production of rice and other high value agricultural crops instrumental in sustaining the country’s food security for the future generation.

Ironically, militant groups admitted the government is simply putting a stop-gap measure on the effects of the food crisis but it does not have the concrete and realistic programs and projects that would propel the country’s agriculture sector into greater heights.

Cordillera groups are seeking for utmost government support on the preservation of the region’s vital watersheds considering that the cordillera is considered to be the “watershed cradle of Northern Luzon” and without proper preservation and protection efforts, the vast track of agricultural lands on the Ilocos, Cagayan and Central Luzon regions might dry up and would lead to a food crisis in the next few years.

Environmentalists predicted the occurrence of a serious water crisis in Northern Luzon in the next five years if no concrete effort is done by both government and private sectors to preserve the dwindling watersheds of the upstream Cordillera.

The RDC is continuously appealing for a collaborative effort in environmental preservation and protection among the local government units of Northern and Central Luzon to maintain abundant water supply for the various river systems flowing down the agricultural lands of the North as well as instill participatory watershed management among the affected communities so that people will be provided with the real information on the negative effects of massive deforestation which is considered to be detrimental in the country’s agriculture sector.

AGGIE UPDATE

Tobacco firms to help in rice production
TEDDY MOLINA

CANDON, Ilocos Sur – Several tobacco companies plan to participate in the government’s accelerated rice production program to resolve the shortage of rice in the market. Administrator Carlitos Encarnacion of the National Tobacco Administration said a total of 1,395 hectares of tobacco farms in seven Northern Luzon provinces have been tapped by tobacco firms for rice production.

The participating companies harnessed tobacco farmers for the accelerated rice production effort which is on top of the farmers’ own traditional rice-growing activities. Encarnacion said the tobacco trading firms had earlier pledged support to Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap and offered their help to resolve the rice crisis.

The firms would provide production assistance to the farmers for the procurement of fertilizer, insecticides, and other agricultural inputs. Mighty Corp., one of the top tobacco leaf buyers in the country, recently allocated a substantial amount for the purchase of farm inputs for its subsidized farms in Pangasinan and La Union.

Universal Leaf Philippines Inc. (ULPI), a tobacco supplier of Philip Morris Phils., on the other hand, has completed listing up 1,000 hectares in Isabela, Cagayan, Ilocos Sur, La Union and Pangasinan for the project. These areas would be subsidized by ULPI and will be tilled by 2,000 farmers. Trans Manila Inc. (TMI), also a Philip Morris supplier, came out with its list of 100 hectares in La Union and Pangasinan.

Fortune Tobacco Corp., the largest Virginia leaf buyer, has so far identified 215 hectares through its satellite trading companies in Ilocos Norte, La Union and Pangasinan for its part in the rice acceleration project. NTA deputy administrator for Operations Dr. Robert Bonoan told newsmen that Fortune Tobacco, owned by Chinese-Filipino taipan Lucio Tan, is expected to tap more planting areas in the days ahead as its other satellite buyer firms have yet to turn in their listings. He mentioned Namnama and Star trading centers as among those currently making arrangements with farmers and the branch offices of the NTA.

President Arroyo ordered the NFA to “flood” and release more rice to markets in areas affected by typhoon “Frank” to ensure stable supply and steady prices. Presiding over a meeting of the National Disaster

Coordinating Council via videoconference on June 25, the President was informed by Agriculture Undersecretary Jesus Paras that the NFA administrator is in Iloilo to check the supply of rice in the province, which was ravaged by the typhoon. Paras said the impact of the typhoon on prices was not too bad and a kilo of rice was selling at around P38.50, up from P35.

The President said anything above P35 was already too high so it was best to “flood” the affected provinces with subsidized NFA rice in order to bring down the prices. “You remember when we had the meeting with the price council, they said that P25 to P35 of rice, depending on the quality, is tolerable. So above P35 is not tolerable. You have to do something about it,” the President said. Paras told the President that P18.25 and P25 per kilogram rice would be available to the typhoon-affected areas.

AGGIE UPDATE

Sorghum won’t affect Cabiao rice production

CABIAO, Nueva Ecija – The massive planting of sweet sorghum as a biofuel crop in this town won’t affect local rice production. Mayor Abundia Garcia bared this, adding areas planted for sweet sorghum used to be idle lands which are now being tapped for massive production, adding that existing rice lands will continue producing palay.

“The areas planted to sweet sorghum used to be unproductive and we are now utilizing them without sacrificing the areas devoted to palay production,” she said.

Earlier, Garcia led local officials unveil an ambitious plan to plant sweet sorghum in 7,000 hectares of agricultural lands over the next two years, which, experts said, could provide some 49,000 local farmers and dependents a whopping P1.5 billion in potential income per year.

Garcia said that the municipal government intends to put up a multi-stock distillery for sweet sorghum in the impact zone of the project that can churn out up to 100,000 liters of ethanol daily. She said that a Malaysian investor who is a close friend of hers, has signified interest to invest up to P500 million for the sweet sorghum project.

In March, Garcia, municipal planning and development coordinator Jose Hipolito and municipal agriculturist Ruperto Joson Jr. led local officials in harvesting sweet sorghum at a two-hectare portion of the plantation in Barangay Bagong Sikat and the response from local farmers was overwhelming.

Hipolito heads a research and study team for commercial-scale production of renewable energy source like ethanol in line with the national government’s thrust to tap environmentally friendly source of energy. The municipal government is targeting to mass-produce sweet sorghum in barangays Entablado, Bagong Silang, San Gregorio, San Antonio, Sta. Isabel and San Carlos.

Garcia said the mass production of the crop could bring back Cabiao to its old glory days when it was the earliest site of sugar plantation in Luzon similar to Cabuyao, Laguna. Local historians say that Cabiao derived its name from the word “Kabyawan” which means grinding mill that used to extract sugar and juice it into molasses, from which several of these mills were located in this town long before the coming of the Spaniards and eventually improved these mills into granite stone mills.

Hipolito, a history expert, recalled that this delta-like town was once a thriving sugar plantation, but hard-headed local folk stopped producing sugar and shifted to rice and corn in protest over the landlords and merchants who were dictating the price. He said that Barangay San Antonio (formerly known as Barangay Pantalan) was once an inland port of the early Malay settlement up north of the nearby Pampanga province, delivering sugar produce in the mouth of the Pampanga River in the towns of Minalin and Macabebe which had been the trade route before the advent of the Spaniards.

Dr. Heraldo Layaoen, national program coordinator for sweet sorghum and vice president for development planning and external linkages of the Mariano Marcos State University (MMSU) based in Batac, Ilocos Norte with whom the municipal government linked up to pursue the project, said the biggest sweet sorghum plantation in the country is in Ilocos Norte covering 30,000 hectares.

He said that over the next two years, it is likely that this town will emerge as the capital of sweet sorghum production in Central Luzon, noting that the local leadership is very aggressive in the pursuit of the project and has in fact procured seeds for the mass production of sweet sorghum.

“In Cabiao, there is no more social barrier and sweet sorghum is accepted as a primary crop,” he said, adding that one hectare of the crop can get between 60 to 65 tons per hectare of stalks which will give 2,700 liters of bioethanol juice. -- MG