Marcos approves Magsana agri roadmap
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Wednesday approved the Masagana Rice Industry Development Program (MRIDP) aimed at achieving the highest possible rice sufficiency level through the implementation of several strategies.
Speaking during the Rice Industry Convergence Meeting at the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) Convention Hall in Diliman, Quezon City, he said that aside from improving the country’s agricultural production, ensuring the welfare of Filipino farmers must also be prioritized.
“Kaya natin ginagawa ito, hindi lamang para mapakain natin ang buong Pilipinas pero para pagandahin natin ang buhay ng ating mga magsasaka ? disente naman ang buhay nila, mapag-aral nila ‘yung mga anak nila,” he said.
“They have a possibility to expand, to go into other economic activities, sa agriculture or not. But to give them more opportunities. That’s the whole point. As much as possible, we will support the farmers,” he added.
The President also mentioned several initiatives needed to aid farmers and improve their lives such as the consolidation and the organization of more cooperatives for their capital requirements.
Through convergence, he said, assets, resources, funding, as well as technology could be made readily available to the farmers for their benefit.
“So, the importance of consolidation is key. That really is the first step. We cannot do all of the other things that we want to do hanggang ma-organize natin ang mga farmers natin,” he said.
The President also mentioned mechanization, the adoption of new farming technologies, as well as digitalization as ways to help farmers.
“We have to mechanize. And then there are new technologies na talagang dapat nating tingnan but we are not there yet. Ang maganda sa technology is that when you adopt the technology, you don’t adopt a 20-year-old technology,” he said.
“You adopt the technology that was just developed yesterday kaya ‘yung state-of-the-art kaagad. And that is the big advantage of using technologies,” he added.
There is also a need to build certain capacities and improve the value chain to prop up agricultural productivity and assist farmers, he said.
Wednesday’s meeting aims to foster cooperation, collaboration, and convergence among government offices involved in the development of the rice industry.
As a response to the challenges in the rice industry, the Department of Agriculture (DA), which is concurrently headed by the President, formulated the MRIDP to support rice farmers, increase rice production, and strengthen the rice value chain.
The program will be carried out through several strategies such as climate change adaptation; farm clustering and consolidation or convergence of intervention; value chain approach; and, digital transformation.
A key component of the MRIDP is the convergence of all stakeholders involved in the development of the rice industry with the objective of pooling resources, sharing knowledge, and coordinating efforts to achieve sustainable rice production and higher income for rice farmers.
Data from the DA showed a decline in the total palay harvest area and average palay yield in 2022. It reported that of the 19.76 million metric tons (MMT) of palay in 2022, 14.94 MMT (75.6 percent) came from irrigated areas and 4.82 MMT (24.4 percent) from non-irrigated areas.
The top five highest rice-producing regions in 2022 were: Central Luzon, 3.62 MMT; Cagayan Valley, 2.93 MMT; Western Visayas, 2.32 MMT; Ilocos Region, 1.96 MMT; and, Bicol Region, 1.33 MMT.
The DA is also preparing measures to respond to El Nino including early rice seed distribution, distribution of drought-tolerant planting materials, promotion of crop insurance, and irrigation scheduling. Presidential News Desk
