Gov’t agri agencies urge to eat local rice

The government agricultural line agencies have urged the Boholanos to buy and eat local rice amidst the influx of imported cheap rice to the markets following the passage of the Rice Tariffication Law.
In fact, the 2019 National Rice Awareness Month (NRAM) celebration this month carries the theme “Buy Local, Eat Local Support Filipino Rice Farmers” which generally aims to promote the consumption of locally produced rice.
RATIONALE EXPLAINED
Reynadez Lim-Curayag, Project Officer-Agricultural Training Institute (ATI) 7 who gave the rationale and objectives during the kick-off and launching program of the celebration last Nov. 7, 2019 held at the Ceremonial Hall, Bohol Capitol Building said specifically the activity aims to encourage consumers to patronize local rice and support local rice farmers; motivate farmers to continue producing quality rice for consumers; promote awareness of the value of locally produced rice; and engage public influencers and opinion leaders with activities in promoting the consumption of local rice and responsible consumption.
Curayag said the theme imparts the importance and advantage of eating safe and nutritious rice to consumers, instilling the value of patriotism in supporting the local rice farmers as well as focuses on how rice farmers, consumers and policy-makers support the consumption of locally produced rice amidst influx of imported cheap rice and keeping local producers in business.
VARIOUS COMMUNICATION PLATFORMS
She said as an advocacy campaign, the 2019 NRAM will employ various communications modalities to ensure that the objectives of this year’s celebration will be met such as: securing support from funding/ mother agency; mobilizing partner agencies/ organizations both in the public and private sectors; regional and provincial initiatives through Department of Agriculture (DA) field offices; conduct of knowledge sharing and learning activities among the target audiences and partners; engagement of the multimedia; and hosting of a kick-off activity (opening program) and a culminating (closing program) to orchestrate a national celebration.
Cheryl Dela Victoria, chief-Regional Agriculture and Fisheries Information Section (RAFIS) DA7 during the symposium who talked about the importance of rice and no wastage emphasized that local rice has good taste and quality and being Filipinos we should patronize our own local product.
She said that in this NRAM celebration it is behooves that every Filipino must carry on the “Be RICEponsible Campaign” that encourages our rice farmers to continue to produce quality rice in response to the competition with imported rice while reaching out consumers to support locally produced rice, and be wise on their rice preferences for consumption.
RICEPONSIBILITY
Dela Victoria added that the Be RICEponsible campaign also aims to promote the RICEponsibility of every Filipino to their bodies and to our country, to help the farmers improve themselves on their families while aiding in the betterment of the rice industry in the Philippines.
Continuous campaign on BE RICEponsible to lessen rice wastage and promote the consumption of healthier rice (ex. Brown rice) that will help the farmers increase their income, she added.
She reminded the Boholanos to conserve rice and to combat waste, promote non-wastage on rice for them to be mindful of the amount of rice they get only what they can consume.
Dela Victoria informed that in 2013, according to Food and Nutrition Research Institute (FNRI), an average Filipino wasted around 14 grams or 3 tablespoons of cooked rice a day, and that was equivalent to 42% of the total rice imports for that year and could have fed around 4.6M Filipinos.
SUPPLY SUFFICIENCY
PRODUCTION COST
Lorebien N. Lagapa, head-Rice Unit, Provincial Seed Coordinator, OPA who discussed about rice situationer in Bohol disclosed that based on record that year, the province had not reached the goal to be rice self-sufficiency by getting only 83%.
Lagapa bared that rice self-sufficiency pattern in Bohol to wit: 2008 has registered 117%, 2009 (66%); 2010 (64%), 2011 (78%), 2012 (79%), 2013 (104%), 2014 (103%), 2015 (101%), 2016 (63%), 2017 (93%), and the 83% of 2018.
Lagapa said Bohol has facing the challenges of the rice industry such as lacking of labor force, impacts of climate change, limited land resources, and rice area conversion, increasing population and rice trade liberalization.
She said that the province has 184,874 hectares (has.) agricultural area of which 47,378 has. are rice production to be titled with 60,063 rice farmers who have in the average age of 57 years old.
Lagapa said to offset the increased production cost owing to higher fuel prices, farmers have to use the yield-enhancing technologies, mechanize to reduce harvest and post harvest losses, and adopt water-saving technologies like AWD, fuel wonders of rice hull, wind pump-drip irrigation system and digital farming.
Provincial Administrator Atty. Kathyrin Fe D. Pioquinto in her welcome message said we considered agriculture as the backbone of our economy.
Atty. Pioquinto said almost all of the foods we eat every day are the by-products of agriculture itself such as vegetable, fruits, meat, fish and more importantly, rice products.
She bared that rice is one of the most important agricultural products we have and we are proud that our Province of Bohol is consistently named as the “Rice Granary of Central Visayas” after we surpassed other provinces in the region in terms of rice output.
The lady administrator urged the Boholanos to conserve rice because every grain counts. One grain forms part of the entire cooked rice we regularly eat.
She likewise urged to appreciate the hard works of our farmers who dedicated their lives in providing us the quality rice we need as expressed in the folk song “Magtanim ay Di Biro”, which is familiar to all of us for sure.
Board Member Ricky Masamayor said that as chairman of the Committee on Agriculture of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan he would be very grateful to Boholano agriculture sectors that they have been continued to produce quality rice for consumers, contribute in achieving rice security, promote the value of responsible rice consumption, and to inspire public influencers in advocating this cause.
Board Member Masamayor said that rice farming is also the primary livelihood of most Filipino farmers as he encouraged the Boholanos to undertake the different activities that will promote eating the right proportion of rice, especially its healthy form like brown rice and rice mixes and be one of the advocates of RICEponsible Filipinos for food security and sustainability. (with reports From Atoy Cosap)

NATIONAL RICE AWARENESS MONTH CELEBRATION. The national and provincial agricultural line agencies join the kick-off and launching of the National Rice Awareness Month last November 7, 2019 hold at the Ceremonila Hall, Bohol Capitol Building, New Capitol Site, Cogon, Tagbilaran City of which they urge every Filipino to buy local, eat local, support Filipino rice farmers. While, photo below shows the students from the different schools in Tagbilaran City intently listen the discussions during the symposium.