Tuesday, April 08, 2008 Speak out: Rice shortage and climate change By Kalikasan-People’s Network for the Environment Clemente Bautista
AMIDST the worsening political crisis hitting the Arroyo government, brought about by ZTE-NBN scandal and all other issues raised since 2001, the country’s economic situation is also getting worse.
For about three weeks, the country’s facing the issue on rice shortage.
Ironically, government officials are singing different lyrics, in search for something or somebody to blame.
Sen. Miguel Zubiri cited climate change as a possible factor that caused low food production. Sen. Loren Legarda, on the other hand, said that without climate change the Philippines’ agricultural production could be higher.
But data from PAGASA show that the country had normal rainfall last year, giving very favorable conditions for agricultural production. Also, fewer typhoons visited the country in the same year, as compared to 2005 and 2006.
The KALIKASAN People’s Network believed that the government is using climate change as an escape goat, to mask the real causes of rice shortage.
Existing policies and programs of the government to combat climate change will further threaten our food security.
The Biofuels Act of 2007 introduced the commercialization of biofuel production. This will aggravate problems on food security and landlessness. The law will further strengthen the conversion of agricultural land to commercial use.
The real cause of rice shortage is the government’s lack of support to local farmers and local production while it intensifies and strengthens the importation of grains under its trade liberalization program.
