I, Farm Boy! ‘Switching to Hi-Value Crops Disastrous to Food Security’

Yesterday, I sent a text message to Senator Imee Marcos, who is a dear friend, asking for clarification on the true intent of a bill she filed titled “Doubling Income of Farmers Act.”

Here is my text message:

“Good morning mam. I read with great concern the report on your proposed “Doubling Income of Farmers Act”. I just hope the Businessworld headline “SENATE BILL SETS OUT INCENTIVES FOR FARMERS TO SWITCH TO HIGH VALUE CROPS” is not an accurate description of the intent of your bill. While we should indeed encourage farmers to plant high value crops, this should not mean urging them to abandon the production of our staple food in favor of growing dragon fruits. This could have a disastrous effect on our food sufficiency program. I hope you could issue a clarificatory statement. Salamat po.”

The use of the word “Switching” was what triggered the alarm bells for me as a farmer and food sufficiency advocate.

Now, let me get this clear.

I fully support the production of High Value Crops. In fact, I am an ardent advocate and practitioner of High Value Crop production.

My farm in Kidapawan City is planted to high-value crops.

The Lanzones trees I planted are now between 20 to 26 years old. I also have Mangosteen, Jackfruit, Oil Palm, Rubber and lately, the “Buko Pandan” variety of Coconut.

Now, I have a nursery for Hass Avocado and I am now promoting the planting of the Giant Bamboo as we develop a new High-Value Crop in Mindanao.

In addition to that, I raise thousands of free-range chicken and about 100 goats.

Nobody told me to switch to planting Lanzones and other high value crops.

While I am a foremost advocate of Rice Self-Sufficiency for the country, I don’t even grow rice for the simple reason that my land is not suited for rice production.

This is the first consideration that our the so-called agriculture experts in the air-conditioned offices must realize.

The growing of crops is determined by the type of soil, the climate, the elevation and the availability of water.

This means that not every farmer could grow high-value crops because of the aforementioned factors.

Rice farmers in irrigated and soggy areas, for example, could not be encouraged to switch to high value crop production because not many crops would grow well in water-logged areas.

Perhaps, “Switching” is not be appropriate word or should not be the intent of the “Doubling Income of Farmers Act.”

Let us encourage our farmers to double their income by planting high value crops in areas where these are suitable in addition to their current farming activities.

The High-Value Crops Production Program should not be promoted at the expense of our food production program because the basic essence of agriculture is to feed our people.

The program should be double-barreled and well-balanced.

We should endeavor to produce enough food for our people and also encourage farmers to plant high value crops for additional income.

Simple lang naman ang scenario.

Maski maraming pera ang mga farmers dahil sa Dragonfruit at iba pang high value crops pero ubod naman ng mahal ang imported na bigas, manok at karne, bale wala rin.

Ang delikado pa nyan ay kung may kalamidad at wala tayong mabilihan ng pagkain.

Masarap at matamis ang Lanzones pero hindi ito puedeng pang-almusal, pananghalian at hapunan.

#AgricultureIsCommonSense!