Chasing A Dream! (1st of 3 Parts) Rice Self-Sufficiency Attainable in 5 Years!

Even at the risk of being ridiculed again, let me repeat what I declared at the start of the Duterte Presidency in 2016 – “The Philippines could be Rice Sufficient in 5 years.”
My bold statement was not just “hot air” or “puro hangin” but was based on existing land area and the potentials of improving the rice yield per hectare.
Here are the facts:
1. The total rice harvested area of the country is 4.9-million hectares with an irrigated area of only 1.3-million hectares or 2.6-million hectares harvested twice a year. This means that the non-irrigated area which could plant only once a year is 2.3-million hectares;
2. While the average Yield Per Hectare of Rice in the country is only about 4-metric tons, the Yield Per Hectare Potential could be as high as 8-metric tons, although for purposes of conservative estimation, it could be pegged at 6-metric tons per hectare;
3. Using basic arithmetic, if the Average Yield Per Hectare is increased from 4-metric tons to 6-metric tons or an additional yield of 2-metric tons from 4.9-million hectares of rice harvested area, there would be an additional harvest of 9.8-million metric tons which if milled with a recovery only 60% would give the country an additional annual rice supply of 5.88-million metric tons which is 2.38-million metric tons more than what the country is importing today.
Kuwentong Kabayo? Hot Air? Puro Hangin?
Absolutely not.
On July 6, 2016, six days after the Duterte Presidency started, I was with the other Department of Agriculture officials, including National irrigation Administration top brass, PhilRice scientists and other Rice Industry stakeholders in a National Rice Workshop in University of the Philippines in Los Baños, Laguna.
It was a Workshop where we were the students and learners and the lecturers were the 10 Outstanding Rice Farmers in the Philippines.
One came from Bansalan, Davao Del Sur and he produced 8-metric tons per hectare, others harvested 10, 11, 12 metric tons per hectare with the record holder, a farmer from Pototan, Iloilo had a record highest yield of 14-metric tons.
The Outstanding Rice Farmers were asked what were the factors which contributed to their higher yield and they came up with similar answers.
1. Use of high-yielding and Hybrid Rice Seeds;
2. Sufficient Irrigation Water all throughout the production cycle;
3. Correct fertilization protocol;
4. Appropriate farm equipment for more efficient field preparation;
5. Easy Access to credit and financing.
Added to that, of course, was a good price for their produce which was the best motivation for greater productivity.
Based on the data shared by the outstanding farmers, the DA crafted a 5 Year Rice Self-Sufficiency Program which targeted a yield of 6-metric tons and it was called Masagana 6000.
When presented to the Cabinet Meeting for funding support, the request of P60-B over 5 years was rebuffed by the Economic Team as too expensive.
We were forced to make do with whatever funds were available and yet, by pushing for an increased utilization of Hybrid Seeds, the country posted its highest harvest in the history of the rice industry with 19.28-million metric tons in 2017.
That harvest resulted in a 95.1% Rice Sufficiency Level in 2017 or just a shortfall of 600,000 to 800,000-metric tons.
In 2019, with the implementation of the Rice Tariffication Law, the. production level collapsed to just over 18.8-million metric tons.
If you ask me now, Is Rice Sufficiency in the Philippines still achievable?
My answer will be all the more YES because of the availability of high-yielding hybrid seeds and modern farming technology.
In fact, the Outstanding Rice Farmer of the Philippines today, Danilo Arcales Bolos of Tagpos, Sta. Rosa, Nueva Ecija has posted a harvest of 19-metric tons per hectare once and 15 to 17 metric tons regularly.
We can do this!
(2nd Part Tomorrow: Accurate Agri Data Through Digitalization)