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Tuesday, July 15, 2003
Benguet veggie commission recommends 5-point agenda
By Tina Sales
LA TRINIAD, Benguet -- The country's Vegetable Commission has recommended a five point-agenda for the improvement of the vegetable industry in the province.
These include the construction of infrastructure and transport facilities; enhancement of market and commercial agriculture; provision for credit and finance for the local farmers; enhancement of technology and other support services; and human resource development.
The vegetable commission was created purposely to conduct research and development-related projects to enhance the status of the local vegetable industry.
Supervising Agriculturist Delia Juan told the Provincial Board members that due to inadequate and inefficient irrigation facilities causing poor water management, poorly maintained water system and dwindling water supply, there is a need to establish close coordination with government and non-government organizations for the construction and rehabilitation of infrastructure and transport facilities.
Due to unorganized and inefficient agricultural marketing system coupled by high post-harvest losses and inadequate market outlet, local farmers are also entailing high transportation cost and suffering from exploitation of marketing system by middlemen, she added.
She recommended provision for marketing facilities and establishment of trading centers as well as marketing network among and between farmer-based organizations, establishment of market information dissemination system and price control system.
Juan said high interest rate, voluminous lending requirements, limited job opportunities in agriculture coupled with slow rate of turn-over, limited /scattered and small landholdings are some of the issues that need to be address. She said important strategies that should be considered include the identification of financial institutions and establishment of linkages, provisions of financial assistance and soft-loans to organized groups.
Juan said diminishing soil fertility resulting to massive soil erosion and wanton use of agro-chemicals/ fertilizer, high cost of production, slow pace technology transfer coupled with slow acceptance and adoption, inappropriate production technology, poor coordination among agencies supportive of agricultural programs and projects that overlap services as well as insufficient fund for agricultural development were also some of the issues raised by farmers in a survey.
She said that technology and other support services are necessary, including the enhancement of efficient agricultural program and projects by way of promoting multiple cropping and farm diversification technology; development and production as well as conservation of agricultural lands and resources for farmers to adopt location-specifics, cost-reducing and high yielding technologies.
Juan added that the implementation of human resource development plan for agricultural workers through the provision of intensive training program; empowerment of farmers through strengthening and federating existing farmers cooperative, associations; and conduct of local and foreign educational exposure, training and tours should be considered in order to improve the economic status of the Benguet vegetable industry.
(July 15, 2003 issue)
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