This morning, confined to the farm for almost a month now because of the total lockdown, I made the rounds of the chicken yard and the areas I planted to fruit trees and Sorghum.
The hens are laying eggs, chicks are running around ready to be slaughtered two months from now while the Sorghum was growing vigorously in the first ratoon.
They are not affected by the lockdowns.
It was then when I fully realized that at a time when the factories have ceased operations, stock markets are suffering from a free-fall and the economy grinds slow, our farms continue producing food.
When everything else stops, plants will continue to grow, cows will produce milk, hens will lay eggs and fish will produce fry.
Lockdown or no lockdown.
The capacity to produce is present but what could hamper it is the distribution and marketing of the produce.
My personal and official response to this predicament is the MinDA Rolling Tienda where farmers and fishermen’s produce are diatributed and marketed within the community itself.
We are starting this in North Cotabato with pilot projects in the towns of Banisilan, Pigcawayan and Arakan.
This morning, the tribal leader of Kidapawan City, Councilor Radin Igwas, came to my farm and asked if the Tribal People could participate in the program.
How could I say no!
This innovation in this time of crisis is expected to provide income for our food producers and access to food for consumers.
This will keep agriculture growing so that when the lockdowns are lifted and the COVID 19 crisis finally ends, the country’s economy will churn back to full speed.
Believe me, it will be Agriculture, including fisheries of course, which will help the country recover economically after COVID 19.
I hope this sad saga in our lives will teach all of us, especially our policy makers and economic managers a painful lesson and that in times of crisis the most important issue is food and where to get it.
Pardon me for emphasizing the obvious – our hope is the farms and on the people who have been neglected and sacrificed in the name of NeoLiberal economic mantras – the farmers and fishermen!
When this all over, let us give them the recognition and support that they deserve.
Long live our farmers and fishermen!
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