Monday, September 29, 2008 Development of idle farmlands urged
CLARK FREEPORT -- An official of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) has urged local officials to develop idle farmlands to make provinces and the whole country "food sufficient."
Roberto Amores, PCCI vice president for Agriculture, said on Sunday addressing food security requires sustained initiatives and policy actions on many fronts, with trade being only one element, among others.
To achieve this, Amores proposes the cultivation of idle lands in the country.
He said about 2.5 million hectares of "idle" lands, especially those in between coconut trees in plantations, must be developed. He said the country has about three million hectares of coconut lands.
Amores said intercropping should be promoted among farmers of these lands, which will result to 2.5 million hectares of land converted to food production.
It was found out that 90 percent of the coconut lands are not intercropped (no crops in between coconut trees).
With an intercropping program in place, coconut farmers could also produce other farm products and maximize the use of the land, he said.
"Whenever there is a food crisis, government had time and again stepped up its intervention in the market and fixed prices, primarily to minimize the adverse impact on consumers and producers. But the principal instruments used for ensuring food security included measures to strengthen supply that is both by boosting domestic production and beefing up supplies through imports," Amores said.
He also urged the utilization of about four million idle lands all across the country, which was identified by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) in 2007.
If all idle lands are cultivated, Amores said, the Philippines can very well achieve food security at the national level and at the household level. He added that this could be further boosted by the business sector's cooperation.
To entice the business sector to invest on farm lands and share in the investment, Amores said government must provide investors and anchor firms, which will establish agro-processing plants to be located in an agrarian reform community, exemption from land conversion and will be given an income tax incentive for 10 years and tax-free imports of machinery and equipment.
Amores also urged the extending to small landowners, farmers and farmers' organizations the necessary credit, like concessional and collateral-free loans for agro-industrialization.
While local government units (LGUs) are yet to act on such proposals, Amores said that local chambers in Central and Northern Luzon could make their own initiatives. (IOF)
