Farmers still hold key to higher agri output

Part 2

MANILA, Philippines - Farmers still hold the key to increased rice production, and any agricultural development remains ineffective and may even fan social discontent if the problems of small farmers are not solved.

Small farmers, whose major source of income is farming and who share the common problem of having limited land and low income, usually supplement their income with earnings from other farm-based occupations such as poultry and gardening.

They have lived this kind of life since they were young. But this situation must be viewed from a wider perspective - from the viewpoint of the lowly farmers who have long been crying for an honest-to-goodness government assistance in the form of easy credit, accessible farm-to-market roads and other such assistance that will improve their living conditions.

Former Ifugao congressman and governor Gualberto Lumauig believes that farmers should be involved in a wide-scale agricultural program. He said this will not only accelerate agricultural development but will also prevent social discontent from becoming worse.

“We could reverse this alarming situation by supporting our farmers not only through easy credit but also in production and technology.”

Now a rice farmer in his home province of Ifugao, Lumuaig noted that farmers, who used to borrow from rural banks for their palay seeds, fertilizers and pesticides, are forced to run to private money lenders who charge exorbitant interest rates.

In a discussion about a year ago with the members of the Philippine Agricultural Journalists (PAJ), Sen. Edgardo J. Angara, then the chairman of the Senate committee on agriculture, said that despite the apparent government neglect, agriculture is still registering growth “only because of the ingenuity and industriousness of our Filipino farmers.”

Angara said the government should provide more support for farmers in terms of access to the market, credit, training and extension services and farming facilities “if we are to utilize agriculture as an effective tool in fighting poverty and promoting economic development.”

  (To be continued)