|
Local solutions 19 June 2008 |
. |
|
The Economic Briefing
on Food and Energy Security at Cebu City last Friday reaffirmed Cebu’s
preeminence in governance and public administration. Confronted with the problem of long rice queues, the city officials and other stakeholders will come up with an effective strategy for rice distribution, minus the long lines. The barangays and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), together with the National Food Authority and other agencies, will develop a distribution and food access system that will do away with the lines. The Tindahan Natin of NFA will be one of the anchor networks for this distribution program. Already, 36 of the City’s 80 Barangays are covered by 86 TN outlets. Other barangays presently unserved came forward to host their TNs at their barangay centers, if this could be the way to bring rice to their constituents. Instead of just a few release and distribution outlets, rice can be brought to smaller targeted communities, through the combined reach of DSWD, the barangays, and NFA. All these, however, are just stop-gap measures, until the long-term solution kicks in. Long before the global problems on food and energy emerged, the government already had strategies and programs to address food security. One such program for rice self-sufficiency by 2010 was formally launched by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo at the Food Summit last April: FIELDS or Fertilizer, Irrigation and infrastructure, Education and extension, Loans and insurance, Dryers and other post-harvest facilities, and Seeds. For fertilizer assistance, P3.9 Billion has been allotted to help our farmers. As much as P4.6 Billion was allocated to the National Irrigation Administration in 2007 for small irrigation facilities. For this year, P4.15 Billion is being allocated for the small irrigation facilities. As of end April, 8,574 hectares of farmland have been restored and 4,254 ha. have been rehabilitated. This would increase annual palay yield by 89,796 metric tons. From 2006-2008, more than P5 Billion or 5,303.55 km. of FMRs was done, while P15 Billion or 9,227.16 km. of FMRs or Farm to Market Roads is programmed for 2009-2010. To reduce post-havest losses, P2 Billion have been allocated — P1 billion to purchase new dryers for the National Food Authority (NFA) and 1,000 flatbed dryers for the Bureau of Post-harvest Research and Extension. Meanwhile, for seeds, more than P1 Billion or P760 per bag per hectare have been provided by the national government. To further ensure sufficient farmlands, the President issued Administrative Order No. 226 suspending the processing and approval of all applications for conversion of rice lands for two years. On the other hand, to promote rice and corn productivity, the Department of Agriculture and the House of Representatives signed a Memorandum of Agreement on a P1 Billion Congressional funding. The government is targeting to double NFA rice importation from 150,000 MT to 300,000 MT this June and distribute it nationwide to bring down cost of rice. To ensure food security, the President directed the National Bureau of Investigation, the Department of Agriculture and the NFA to closely monitor rice traders to prevent hoarding and price manipulation. As of this month, 93 grains businessmen/traders were apprehended for hoarding, diversion, and violation of rules on the grains business. As you will see, long before the global crisis hit us, long-term solutions to our food security were already in place and being pursued. To focus now on the interim and ad hoc responses demanded by the global crisis as puny, forgetting or ignoring in the process the long-term solutions already in place, is counterproductive and divisive. |
|
| [TOP] [HOME] | |