Some 200 members of the national and communal irrigation systems in the 1st Congressional District of North Cotabato yesterday gave their overwhelming approval and acceptance of rice industry innovation I designed called the “Rice Republic.”
During a forum yesterday organized by Congressman Joel Sacdalan and Alamada Mayor Jesus Sacdalan in Midsayap, the officers of the different Irrigators’ Associations and Community Irrigators’ Associations applauded the innovation which I presented to solve once and for all the manipulated pricing of their produce and the rice sold in the market.
The “Rice Republic” Concept is a localized version of a Rice Sufficient Philippines which I envisioned when I was Secretary of Agriculture but which I failed to achieve after the Economic Policy Makers decided to push the Rice Tariffication Law which flooded the local market with imported rice.
Here is how the “Rice Republic” Concept will work:
- The Provincial Government will create a digital database of all rice farmers in North Cotabato, including Upland Rice farmers, to determine the total area covered by rice farming;
- A province-wide Soil Analysis to cover all rice farming areas will be conducted to determine the fertilization requirements of all rice farmers followed by technology training to be provided by outstanding rice farmers, like top Rice Farmer Danilo Arcalaes Bolos of Nueva Ecija;
- Based on the accurate digital data, the Provincial Government, supported by the Department of Agriculture National Rice Program, will provide all accredited rice farmers with high-yielding seeds, fertilizer and farm inputs;
- Modern agricultural equipment like drones to undertake simultaneous pest protection operations, harvesters and trucks to bring the harvests to community dryers which will be established by the Provincial Government in all rice production areas;
- The Provincial Government, through an Economic Enterprise Office and with the support of the PhilMech of the Dept. of Agriculture, will establish a modern Rice Processing Complex;
- The Provincial Economic Enterprise Office for the Rice Republic Program will buy farmers’ produce at not less than P20 per kilo which when milled in local rice processing facilities, or later in a Provincial Rice Processing Complex, will be packed in 25-kilo bags carrying a local brand and sold in the market at P45 per kilo;
This is a program I designed which will increase the productivity of farmers, ensure affordable rice for local consumers while protecting both the farmers and consumers creating an autonomous Rice Republic.
While this program will initially be operated by the Provincial Economic Enterprise Office, the long-term objective is to allow the organized rice farmers to take over and manage the Rice Republic.
My dream is to allow Rice Farmers to enjoy the full value of their produce and elevate from from raw commodities producers to agri-entrepreneurs.
This is also the most effective strategy in protecting local farmers and consumers as well from the control of the Rice Cartels who flood the market with imported rice at prices even higher than local rice.
This is the best strategy in protecting our farmers and consumers, establishing Food Sovereign local areas, because I see no hope in changing the import-dependent Food Security Policy of the national government.
