The government should nurture agriculture and pay more attention to the plight of farmers, the sector that feeds the people.
A published World Bank report says that in the next ten years food security will be the world’s biggest problem; that “the world is nearing a dangerous point where soaring food prices will create economic instability.â€
Agriculture can play an important role in staving off that crisis. But for it to play that role, the government must remove its bias against the industry.
It is a vital cog in the economy. It comprises one-fifth of the country’s domestic products and provides livelihood to more that 40 percent of the population.
This notwithstanding, farmers are among the lowest paid in the country, making poverty widespread in the industry as it employs one third of the labor force.
Farmers receive the lowest average daily basic wage compared to non-agriculture sector. In fact, they receive salaries just a bit higher than domestic helpers. No wonder, they have fallen out of love for the farms.
The government must make farmers proud that it is they who feed the people.
The government must provide agri-infrastructure such as farm to market roads for speedy access to markets; warehouse facilities for their products, a reliable irrigation system. More importantly, farmers must be assured of fruitful returns for their back-breaking work. — GONZALO CATAN Jr., EVP, Mapecon Green Charcoal Philippines (MGCP is the principal exponent of the production of cheap, safe to use vermicast organic fertilizer now widely used by farmers.)