It has indeed been exasperating that no Filipino leaders of government in long history, have the wisdom and foresight to take advantage of Nature's munificence most favorable to agricultural national economy.
Belatedly though, there's a faint glimmer from non-winner Nicanor Perlas who hectors that development must begin in the countryside. Erap also mumbled his vague platform to focus on agriculture, but no specifics on how and to what extent. Well, Erap had his chance and, sadly, tanked out. Too late the hero? Also senatorial aspirant Bongbong Marcos just recently brightened with the need to change perspective to agricultural renaissance.
Radical changes have to be done, like, making Agriculture the flagship department whose budget be beyond the usual salaries and other personnel/operational expenses that eat up about 90% of such budget. It must target extensive irrigation nationwide for rice, corn, root crops and vegetable production at least twice a year and, not mainly dependent on rainfall. In-between the first season harvest and the preparation for second cropping, there's enough time for "fallowing" to conserve and enrich the soil.
Recalling at random few areas one has gone to… Bohol towns all-around have wide coastal agri-fields lying idle during dry season, with irrigation projects just a trickle compared to larger untilled areas. There's that natural huge pool in interior Candijay which the locals swear as unfathomable, its spilling water drains downstream. Does it irrigate the whole town and beyond? Other Bohol assets are its big rivers constantly flowing that can irrigate their inland routes.
In scattered regions in Mindanao.. There's Nasipit down south to Butuan City with large idle rice lands in summer. An ongoing irrigation project in interior Butuan, isn't wide-ranging in coverage. Second rice cropping can be done if irrigation utilizes the big Agusan River… From Dipolog City down south to Katipunan, and farther to Piao, Roxas are idle lands during dry season. Same in old Numancia in Siargao Island which may stay untilled in dry months.
In Leyte, there's the then rice granary in Ormoc City where rice reapers from Cebu used to patronize a long time ago… From Carigara to Palo and to Tacloban are likewise wide expanses. Are they cultivated at least two times a year? In Negros and Panay provinces, is there no need of irrigation for dry season tilling?
Even in Cebu with its hilly and mountainous terrain, are valleys and several glens. Cabadiangan and Mulao valleys in Compostela; Cotcot and elsewhere in Liloan; the eastern parts of Danao and Carmen; the wide Can-asojan, Carcar and the Argao plains; also along the Balamban-Asturias-Tuburan long stretch, to name a few, are staple potentials, if cultivated all-year round.
The key to regular rice and corn cropping twice a year, is irrigation system for the length and breadth of the archipelago's countryside. These require building of dams, canalizing water to individual farms, drilling of deep-wells, building reservoirs, personnel expertise and administration, and all the works. The national government and all the LGUs have to pool resources to make the system work, including attainment of highly mechanized and effective farming culture. The carabao-and-plow farming has to be only a supplemental endeavor.
The government must organize, train, and oversee farmers' cooperatives in the barangays as indispensable in all phases of agriculture. Coops are essential for labor and funding in digging canals, delineating of farm lots, mechanizing cultivation, harvesting and threshing, marketing the harvest; and/or stocking. The ordeal on small-time farmers, as in the local Carbon Market at the mercy of "capital-less" middlemen who dictate the price, shall have been obviated.
In recap, with the formulation of policies and plans, the government has to factor on-site learning of rice culture observed by Asian rice exporting countries. The acquired lessons include, inter alia: 1) how they have attained rice sufficiency with ample stock for export; 2) the role and operation of farmers' coops; 3) the extent and efficiency of second cropping as year-round program.
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Email: lparadiangjr@yahoo.com