Monday, April 07, 2008 Proposal to ensure surplus production of rice pushed By Ben O. Tesiorna
NORTH Cotabato Governor Jesus Sacdalan presented a three-point proposal at the National Food Security Summit in Manila last April 4 to ensure not only rice sufficiency but also continued surplus production in the province.
The move could also help provide for the needs of neighboring provinces.
The Cotabato Food Security Plan recommends that farmers be provided with certified seeds and fertilizer subsidy. It also calls for adequate national funding support for the improvement of river and communal irrigation systems, as well as national government intervention in the construction and establishment of drying and other post-harvest facilities in strategic locations.
The Provincial Board has adopted the plan and endorsed it for inclusion in the National Food Security Plan.
"This will be our contribution to the national effort on food security," Sacdalan said of the plan formulated following the provincial food security conference on April 1.
Sacdalan presided over the conference attended by Vice Governor Manny Piñol and members of the board, mayors, city and municipal agriculturists, and provincial and municipal Agricultural and Fisheries Council chairs.
Also present were officials of the National Irrigation Administration in the province and staff from the Department of Agriculture regional office.
"While current rice production levels in the province are sufficient to supply the food requirements of the people of (North) Cotabato, we are committed to helping provide affordable food to other provinces as well," Sacdalan said.
North Cotabato was the top rice producer in Region 12 last year harvesting 323,150 metric tons from 87,902 hectares. It was also the leading corn producer in the region last year posting a harvest of 602,641 metric tons from 142,419 hectares of corn lands.
The province is also ranked 9th among the country's rice producers while being ranked 10th in terms of hectarage attesting to the high production levels achieved by North Cotabato rice farmers.
The food security conference identified major issues affecting food production in the province. Among these are the high cost of production inputs particularly certified seeds and fertilizers, and inefficient irrigation facilities that prevent further increases in food production levels.
The lack of post-harvest facilities for drying and warehousing, and poor market transport system was also identified as major concerns.
In Mindanao, Socsargen area is the top rice producing region but only ranked fifth in the national level. Southern Mindanao is in the bottom 14th out of the 16 regions that produce palay.
