AGGIE UPDATES
Alicia Tabuno
The Cordillera Region is now a region to reckon with, when it comes to yellow corn production.
Instead of being just the salad bowl of the Philippines, major hybrid and heirloom rice producer, it is now excelling in yellow corn production as evidenced by CAR farmers’ yearly victories in the GawadSaka Search and Outstanding Quality Corn Farmer Search conducted by the DA.
These winning farmers to name a few are Engr. ArsenioMadio and Rolando Bandi of Rizal, Kalinga; Joseph Benemerito, Jaime Calumpit and Renato Antonio of Alfonso Lista, Ifugao.
They did not only gain wealth but also national recognition and distinction as successful corn farmers.
CAR farmers have mastered on producing yellow corn for feeds purposes; and by doing so, their standard of living had been uplifted.
The Cordilleras produced a total of 156, 518 MT yellow corn in 2011.
The highest corn producing province contributing 84, 285 MT is Ifugao, followed by Kalinga, with Benguet as the least producing province.
From the total agricultural land of 450, 528.69 hectares; 61, 836 is devoted to corn production in the region.
Major problems identified in corn production is comprised of high cost of inputs, high post production losses and low quality of produce due to the inadequate post harvest facilities.
With these constraints, the DA provides interventions that go with production support, post harvest development services, marketing support and development, extension, education and training support development and information services.
This year, other than the OPV seed exchange program for white corn, all activities of the Corn Program is concentrated on yellow corn production.
According to Ms. Pansy Kary B. Piluden, DA-RFU-CAR Regional Corn Coordinator, other lined-up activities are marketing services to be provided by the Agribusiness and Marketing Division (AMAD) such as market linkaging activities serving 155 corn farmers and clustered groups assistance.
For its Post Harvest Development Services, three (3) units village type dryers programmed will benefit 150 farmers; two (2) units corn grits mill will be used by 100 farmers; 5 units hammer mills; and cassava granulators with shredders will be provided.
In a bid to educate farmers further, a series of Farmers’ Field Schools (FFS); entrepreneurial trainings and technical briefings will be conducted; including postharvest technology promotion, extension and training, cassava techno demos and Corn Institutional Research and Development.
The yellow corn industry has a very big role in advancing the AgriPinoy framework towards agri-development in the country.
Basically, it is very instrumental to achieve self-sufficiency in yellow corn for feed purposes to sustain the growing demand of the livestock and poultry sub-sectors and help stabilize prices of feeds in the local market.
The AgriPinoy framework is one with farmers in developing targets from 2011 to 2016. It sets its targets to increase growth of corn production in terms of its area expansion, yield improvement, and key assumptions such as growth market price and favorable weather conditions.
This year’s yellow corn production will be intensified with the inclusion of the Organic Agriculture methods; use of organic/biological control of pests and diseases such as production of earwigs, use of Bio-N, trichoderma and vermiculture methods.
In addition to organic based Agriculture Program, Soil Fertility and Sampling and Soil Ameliorization and Rehabilitation activities will be enhanced.
The Corn Program will likewise continue to implement the Cassava Program through seed pieces production benefitting 800 cassava farmers.
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