Soaring food prices has become the most serious threat to the economy. With this, Dr. Rolando Dy, the director of the Center for Food and Agribusiness of the University of Asia and the Pacific (UA&P), proposed 19 recommendations that aim to address food crises and poverty through farmer productivity.
- Develop private-sector-led agriculture-fishery diversification plan anchored in specific industry roadmaps that are market-led and competitive.
- Eliminate quantitative restrictions (QRs) on rice and shift the role of the National Food Authority (NFA) to buffer stocking and logistics. Adequate protection and preparedness, however, should be provided to the farmers.
- Revitalize tree crops (coconut, rubber, oil palm, coffee, cacao, bamboo, etc.) through productivity enhancement and related programs.
- Allow suitable public lands for plantings of tree species, including rubber, bamboo, and oil palm.
- Sustain fishery, aquaculture, and mariculture programs.
- Redefine the Strategic Agriculture and Fisheries Development Zone (SAFDZ) to focus on products and services with comparative advantage. Ensure ACEF matching grants for common service facilities.
- Revisit the National Land Use Act.
- Strengthen the agricultural extension system by returning the administrative control of agricultural extension to the Department of Agriculture.
- Establish incentives to private extension system such as contract growing, sugar mill district development committee, and input supplier.
- Establish/upgrade regional testing laboratories and train personnel.
- Increase irrigation area through rehabilitation and new construction of small irrigation systems. Ensure that non-rice irrigation also benefits.
- Adopt the Farming Systems Approach among small holders farmers, supported by appropriate technology, better marketing, value adding.
- Implement capacity building programs (including entrepreneurship and informal training) for rural folks for farm and non-farm enterprises, including establishment and/or strengthening of farmers organizations.
- Implement DA organizational rationalization to secure organizational agility and effectiveness, including the food control system for assuring food safety and quality and bio-security.
- Establish a Council of Leaders to provide policy advice and support to the DA Secretary, and to advocate for more resources.
- Institutionalize small farmer representation in policy-making, planning, implementation, and monitoring.
- Institutionalize third-party assessment of logic and outcomes of programs and projects.
- Together with the Department of Agrarian Reform, DA to provide support to CARP beneficiaries to capacitate them to be productive.
- Create a separate Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture to maximize development of underutilized ponds, inland waters, and coastlines to produce protein and increase exports.
Source:
Villegas, Bernardo, “Agricultural development.” Manila Bulletin, 17 February 2011 at http://www.mb.com.ph/node/304888/agricultural-development.
0 comments:
Post a Comment