DA promotes adlai as alternative staple to rice

MANILA, Philippines –  The Department of Agriculture (DA) is promoting adlai as an alternative staple food to rice.

Adlai, which is also known as Job’s Tear, comes from the same family of grasses (Poaceae) where wheat, corn, and rice belong. It is a tall grain-bearing tropical plant native to East Asia. The grains are generally spherical, with a groove on one end and polished white in color.

Perceived to have been introduced in Northern Luzon during the archipelago’s prehistory, adlai has spread. throughout East Asia and is available in dried form, and is usually cooked as a grain. It may be boiled and eaten like rice or added to stews and soups. Alternatively, the grains may also be ground into flour for baking or fermented to produce beer and wine.

The DA in now planning research and development activities on the utilization and promotion of adlai as an alternative food source in line with efforts to identify additional substitute food crops for the food self-sufficiency program of government.

The DA is likewise looking into the adaptability of available varieties or strains of adlai in selected regions, and will need to develop a package of technologies (POTs) on cultural management practices and food products and by-products from adlai. It will also have to promote the crop’s uses as food, feed for livestock/poultry, and for other purposes.

Agriculture Secretary Proceso J. Alcala has been pushing for the development of alternative staple food sources. He hopes to formally present the adlai program to President Aquino early next year.

He urged the Bureau of Agricultural Research and the concerned R&D agencies to focus on results and come up with relevant data such as production per hectare, cost of production, market projection, and appropriate conventional and organic crop management systems for adlai.

“I am confident that our researchers and scientists are imaginative and diligent enough to take this opportunity to explore the potentials of adlai. In the same way, we, at the DA are open to new ideas as that would fast-track our actions for the benefit of the agriculture and fisheries sector,” he said.