PGBh issues measures to sustain food security

The provincial Government of Bohol (PGBh) through the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPA) has issued measures to ensure food sustainability in the province.
Assistant Provincial Agriculturist Larry M. Pamugas reminded the Boholanos to observe the “Rice Pledge” of the Department of Agriculture (DA) of which each Filipino must vow to conserve rice.
Dr. Pamugas said that based on the 1995 PhilRice data each Filipino wasted an average of 2 to 3 tablespoons of cooked rice daily. That was 12% of the country’s annual imports costing 7.2 billion pesos.
Pamugas has promoted the alternative way of reducing the use of rice like porridge, and cooking rice and corn mixed with chopped sweet potato and banana or “Sabakong/Saksak.”
He also strongly urged the Boholanos to plant early maturing vegetables such as pechay, lettuce, kangkong among others.
Along with this, Pamugas encouraged to eat more veggies than cereals. Vegetables can be produced easier than rice, he remarked.
According to Pamugas, based on the consumption of rice data in Bohol, the per capita of rice for every Boholano is 105 kilograms (kgs.) per year while in veggies is only 2.2 kgs. per year.
He instructed the OPA employees who are assigned in prices monitoring to monitor and study the fast moving products in the markets at this time of crisis so the province can prepare programs for the purchase of seeds for the producers.
Pamugas also asked the Fisheries Division, OPA to have the list of ponds inland for Tilapia and Bangus, and for fish cages for the seeding of fingerlings to expect more harvest.
The Assistant Provincial Agriculturist said let’s cooperate to lessen the impact of the current crisis for food security in the province. (Atoy Cosap)