Rey Anthony Chiu
TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, October 22, 2012
(PIA)—The Department of Agriculture (DA) takes a second look at developing alternative
staples to minimize the demand for rice, which has become a determining factor
for global politics.
Already considered a global agricultural
commodity, of which only 5-7% was exported in 2000-2008, and 84% these exports
are controlled by the world’s biggest rice producing countries, global rice
demand has increased that rice self sufficiency becomes a must for rice
importing countries like the Philippines.
With the introduction of rice as staple to
traditionally non-rice consuming countries, the demand spiked in time for the
climate change when weather changes wreak havoc among farms.
For this, rice has become a sought after
staple that push for production and increased sufficiency, Engr. Eugene
Cahiles, Bohol Agricultural Promotion Center (APC) manager said.
The activity in Bohol also side features a
competition on preparing staple alternatives to increase local awareness in
their crucial role in minimizing rice consumption.
“While rice sufficiency could be possible,
it could even become probable when communities work together to attain this,” Cahiles
said, while students from city schools find ways to make sweet potato, cassava,
and corn as palatable staples, during the Bohol commemoration of World Food
Day, October 16 at the Bohol Quality Atrium.
APC, an office under the DA, through manager
Cahiles said this year’s food sufficiency plan is geared towards the
sufficiency of the country on food staples.
“This program not only focuses on food
security which is the availability, accessibility and affordability of safe and
nutritious food to everyone at all times, but also more focuses on becoming
food self sufficient,” Cahiles expounded at the jam-packed crowd at the Atrium
where Bohol’s formal commemorative program was held.
By food sufficiency, he said “It is the
ability of the population to secure its food needs by its own production.”
“We recognize that food security is a basic
human right and the state is committed to take actions towards its full
utilization; however, it is also in the best interest of our country to become
food self sufficient by producing the food requirement of our people,” Cahiles,
who spoke for Regional Executive Director, Angel C. Enriquez, said.
Most places in the country rely on outside
sources for food, not really producing for their needs.
In 2011, which was historically Bohol’s most
productive year in rice harvests when it peaked at 231,569 metric tons, this
contributed to about 72% or the total regional production, Cahiles cited in his
message.
The achievement in Bohol however did not
happen overnight.
In 2007, Bohol rice production was only
163,441 metric tons, attaining 86% sufficiency level. That year also marked the
start of the food crisis.
But by constant engaging of farmers to adopt
new technologies, high yielding rice seed varieties including hybrids, and
correct farm inputs have reversed the situation for Bohol.
This can be seen when from 2008-2010, Bohol averaged
an annual growth rate of 7 % even if a mild El Nino threatened farms in 2009 and 2010, Cahiles noted.
By 2011, Bohol has significantly increased
its harvest 40% higher compared to 2007, contributing largely to the regional
production, Cahiles said.
Per capita consumption in Bohol however, consequently
increased since then, rendering high sufficiency levels almost to
insignificance.
To bank on the laurels of sufficiency, Bohol
agri-officials and leaders campaigned for alternative staples like corn,
bananas, camote, ube and other root-crops including those wild varieties to
lessen rice consumption.
In his message, the APC head also cited the office of
the provincial agriculturist of the Boholano Initiators for Sustainable Agricultural
Development (BISAD) for deepening the meaning of the celebration in making
steps to spread the awareness and importance of organic agriculture and the
role of other staple foods like corn, cassava, sweet potato other root crops as
alternatives to minimize the consumption of rice, our main staple.
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