Cotabato First Model Of LGU ‘Rice Republic’

Imagine a province where the Local Government provides rice farmers with high-yielding seeds, fertilizer and farm inputs, drones to undertake simultaneous pest protection operations, harvesters and trucks to bring the harvests to community drying facilities.
After drying, the farmer’s produce is brought to a Provincial Government Operated buying station which will offer a price of 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 P1,050 or P42 per kilo.
Drawing? Daydreaming?
Nope. 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 from the vagaries of rice pricing in the market.
On top of that, the Provincial Government through its Economic Enterprise Office could generate modest profits from the operations, especially from the by-products like rice bran which in turn could be supplied to local feed mills.
I call this concept the “LGU Rice Republic” which could later become LGU Food Republic as the coverage of the program is expanded to cover other agricultural commodities needed by Filipino families on a daily basis.
The concept of establishing Food Republics is the first step in attaining a National Food Sufficiency based on the actual needs of Filipino families.
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.
This is what I intend to implement in North Cotabato should God bless me with the opportunity of leading my province again.
This could easily be undertaken in North Cotabato given the fact that our province is a net exporter of rice producing roughly 300,000-metric tons of rice yearly for a population of only 1.5-million.
With a per capita consumption of 114 kilos, the people of Cotabato only need about 170,000 metric tons which leaves a surplus of 130,000.
Local production could still increase because of the support given in the form of high yielding seeds, farm inputs and stable pricing thus contributing to the attainment of the National Rice Sufficiency Program.
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