“NCotabato officials declare state of calamity due to flood damage…caused millions worth of damage to crops and infrastructure.” This was the headline on the ABS-CBN News online under the regional dated April 29, 2008. Same headline seen in a Local Newspapers like Sunstar davao today (May 1, 2008).
You will read more of these headlines and devastating damages soon if we continue to cut trees, continues land conversion, and continue to ignore the call to protect our soil.
The call to protect soil erosion decades ago are still the call for today. When I was 6 years old, I remember Rev. Harold Watson and Dr. Warlito Laquihon advocating sustainable agriculture in uplands and urging all to restore the degraded soil by using Sloping Agricultural Land Technology. In 2004, I myself was calling to help prevent soil erosion during the Vegetable Congress sponsored by VICSMin in Davao City. Today, I believe the same call I pose to all Filipinos.
Pardon my words but what recently happened in Cotabato is an effect of ill planning in sustainable land use and continued ignorance in soil conservation and environmental protection. I see hills with more than 40 degrees slope used without any soil erosion control for vegetables, corn and even sugarcane farming. Likewise, uplands in Cotabato, Davao, and Bukidnon, are vastly converted to plantation crops like banana, sugarcane, and pineapple (later will include jathropa) without any soil erosion measures but rather large canals for irrigation and drainage. As a result, we are experiencing flash floods.
It seems we have not learned at all from the tragedy of Leyte to the damages in Cotabato lately. Does our government have interventions or political will to protect damages in uplands and low land areas? Should the agencies like DENR and DA look into this? Should we wait for more damages? What can you do?
I wish to call the attention of all government officials, all agencies concerned, academe, NGOs, civic sector, farmers, friends and you. Let’s not wait for another tragedy and more damages to come, act now.
I wish I could help more by sharing my knowledge in agriculture, for today, I just wrote this article to start the journey of protecting our life. If you think you can make a difference, let join hands and think of a better way. Share this to a friend.
Showing posts with label vegetables. Show all posts
Showing posts with label vegetables. Show all posts
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
Rice shortage - does it mean food shortage in Mindanao?
Archbishop Angel Lagdameo, CBCP head, lately called to have alternative food for energy such as sweet potato (camote), corn, or cassava. Further, Ma. Teresa Ungson, Regional Coordinator of National Nutrition Council XI, also stressed that Filipinos should practice dietary diversification. I agree with them.
Is there really rice shortage? I don't believe so! Not in Mindanao! We still have fertile soil. We can plant root crops that has higher energy than rice. And mind you, if you happen to visit Davao City, have dinner at barbeque restaurants there is a signage saying "UNLIMITED RICE". Sounds unbelievable but true. Not only that, Davao City is the only City in Philippines that serves IRON-FORTIFIED RICE too in food establishments.
The real question is? Are we managing our soils enough to maintain productivity? or we just want to produce more and sacrificing the fertlity of our soil? If we continually use synthetic fertilizers and pesticides, doesn't practice crop rotation, and doesn't practice soil conservation, I believe in a decade, Philippines would not only have rice shortage but food shortage as well. Who is to blame? Our Government? GMA? or the Farmers it self? No one is to be blamed at rather we (each and everyone) should do our best and exert every effort to have a sustainable food supply. We often finger point our leaders yet we don't realize we also have a role in food stability. I suppose the senators would do there role too and not only tinker of 2010 elections.
A month ago I heard that rice fortification with iron is being pushed especially in Region XI. I admire such efforts of DOH through the NNC-XI in iniating and implementing such program to address malnutrition problem particularly iron deficiency anemia. Nevertheless, I was amazed that the National Food Authority (NFA) have tried to hinder and question the innovative strategies on iron rice premix (eg. iron-premix in sachet) yet today THERE IS RICE SHORTAGE! Why does NFA failed to focus in ensuring adequate rice supply in the country? nor supportive to the efforts of DOH in iron rice fortification? I hope they (NFA) realize these.
Mindanao farmers continues to practice Sustainable Agriculture. Go Natural Farming! From Rice to Vegetable to Chicken to Goats and to Swine! Go on Mindanao!
Is there really rice shortage? I don't believe so! Not in Mindanao! We still have fertile soil. We can plant root crops that has higher energy than rice. And mind you, if you happen to visit Davao City, have dinner at barbeque restaurants there is a signage saying "UNLIMITED RICE". Sounds unbelievable but true. Not only that, Davao City is the only City in Philippines that serves IRON-FORTIFIED RICE too in food establishments.
The real question is? Are we managing our soils enough to maintain productivity? or we just want to produce more and sacrificing the fertlity of our soil? If we continually use synthetic fertilizers and pesticides, doesn't practice crop rotation, and doesn't practice soil conservation, I believe in a decade, Philippines would not only have rice shortage but food shortage as well. Who is to blame? Our Government? GMA? or the Farmers it self? No one is to be blamed at rather we (each and everyone) should do our best and exert every effort to have a sustainable food supply. We often finger point our leaders yet we don't realize we also have a role in food stability. I suppose the senators would do there role too and not only tinker of 2010 elections.
A month ago I heard that rice fortification with iron is being pushed especially in Region XI. I admire such efforts of DOH through the NNC-XI in iniating and implementing such program to address malnutrition problem particularly iron deficiency anemia. Nevertheless, I was amazed that the National Food Authority (NFA) have tried to hinder and question the innovative strategies on iron rice premix (eg. iron-premix in sachet) yet today THERE IS RICE SHORTAGE! Why does NFA failed to focus in ensuring adequate rice supply in the country? nor supportive to the efforts of DOH in iron rice fortification? I hope they (NFA) realize these.
Mindanao farmers continues to practice Sustainable Agriculture. Go Natural Farming! From Rice to Vegetable to Chicken to Goats and to Swine! Go on Mindanao!
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