Biyaheng Bukid Cordillera 3 CONSERVING NATURE; PRESERVING TRADITION

By Manny Piñol

In a small apartment located near the narrow mainstreet of the town of Banaue in Ifugao Province, a farmers’ group committed to continue centuries-old tradition and practices of indigenous rice varieties sells their vacuum packed products to local and foreign buyers.

There are several varieties planted in the iconic rice terraces which adorned the mountain side for centuries now, including the glutinous line, but the most popular is the Tinawon, an aromatic rice which, as the name suggests, takes one year before it could be harvested.

Jimmy Lingayo, head of the Rice Terraces Farmers Cooperative and also the chairman of the regional agriculture and fisheries council for the Cordillera Region, said less and less farmers are getting into the planting of these varieties which have been handed down from generation to generation of the people of the mountain region.

The rice, known as Heirloom rice, is produced in the most organic way without using even the commercially produced organic fertiliser.

At the end of the harvest season, farmers scatter rice hay and sunflower stalks and flowers on the paddies to maintain the fertility of the soil.

But the productivity is very low, just an average of 2.5 metric tons per hectare and since the average landholding is only about 1,000 square meters, the farmers do not really earn much.

The RTFC headed by Lingayo has been assisted by the Dept. of Agriculture under Sec. Proceso Alcala with a P.5-million, a mini rice mill and a vacuum packer which is now inoperational.

But the interest in planting the Heirloom rice is waning because of the very small earnings made by the farmers.

Yesterday morning, I talked to Lingayo and asked him what else was needed to bring back people’s interest in continuing the planting of the Heirloom rice.

Here are his concerns:

1. A study to look into how the Heirloom rice varieties could have more tillers, an issue which is now being handled by the PhilRice according to its chief Calixto Protacio;

2. A way of reinvigorating the soil in the rice terraces to make it more fertile and productive. This is an issue which could be addressed by the proposed dairy cattle program where every family involved in the planting of the Heirloom Rice will be trained to handle at least two dairy cattle in his backyard to earn additional income;

3. Options for the farmers to generate extra income from their farms and I proposed the propagation of the native delicacy Jojo fish by breeding these in hatchery and distributing fingerlings to the Tinawon farmers at the start of the planting season.

4. Categorisation of the Heirloom rice as High Value Crop instead of just a commodity classified as rice to give it added value with government leading a promotional campaign..

5. A processing center in Kiangan, complete with faciltiies and equipment to assist the farmers.

I found the requests reasonable and I see the Heirloom Rice as an exciting prospect for agro-tourism in the Cordilleras.

Also, given the needed support by the government, the Heirloom rice could become a precious product much like the caviar which would demand a very good and profitable price in the market.

(Photos by Bobong Piñol and John Pagaduan.)