How Farmers Can Grow Miracle Rice II, Vendors Sell At P20/kg And Make Millions Filipinos Healthier & Farmers Happier!

"How Do You Solve A Problem Like Maria?” was one of the songs featured in the 1959 Rodgers & Hammerstein musical, “The Sound Of Music.” When Ferdinand “BBM” Marcos Jr was running for President, he promised a P20/kg rice. So, how do you solve a problem like a “P20/kg rice?”

(BBM with farmers from northluzon.politics.com.ph, prices from reuters.com)

Here comes columnist Segundo Eclar Romero who puts ““Two Questions For Marcos Jr” (25 Oct 2022, Inquirer, inqm.news):

Responding to gentle suggestions that he should appoint a full-time Agriculture Secretary, President Marcos Jr is adamant that he will hold on to the position, saying he is “still needed there.” … The problems in the agriculture sector are “so difficult that it will take a president to change and turn it around.”

“The problems in the agriculture sector are ‘so difficult that it will take a President to change and turn it around.” Yes! That is, if you don’t have a roadmap leading to P20/kg rice!

The President says that he will appoint a full-time Secretary when he has properly institutionalized the functions of the Department of Agriculture (DA) and he has completed the necessary structural changes.

For me an agriculturist (UP Los Baños ’65, 2.36 WA), I do not see the need for BBM to institutionalize the functions of the DA before  he comes up with a convincing Roadmap. Aha! says (aha.io):

A roadmap is a visualization of a strategic plan. … You need a bold vision for what you want to achieve and a solid plan for how you will turn your aspirations into reality.

Mr Romero says:

The President has been Agriculture Secretary for almost four months. In that period, there have been some revealing tests of his caliber as a leader and manager of the agricultural sector. His boast during the elections that he will bring down the price of rice to P20 per kilo is now out of reach.

P20/kg rice is now “out of reach” – Not if you ask me! How do you solve a problem like a P20/kg rice? My answer – you don’t! First, change the question:

Instead ask, “How do you solve a problem like Farmer Poverty?”

My mathematical solution is to change all the givens: junk expensive chemical fertilizers, expensive chemical pesticides… etc.

Now then, the total cost of growing rice can be brought down to at least 57% of today’s total cost using fertilizers and pesticides. How? Instead of Chemical Agriculture (CA), our farmers practice Organic Agriculture (OA) so that the Total Cost of CA goes down to Zero –Net Savings go up to Returns! And rice becomes organic, healthier!

Yes, farmers can prepare their own organic fertilizers. (Ask me how the rotavator can be used to cultivate, create & circulate an organic mulch all over the field – a miracle!)

Farmers can then sell their rice at P15/kg farmgate and vendors can sell at P20/kg in markets. So, “How do you solve a problem like P20/kg?” is music to my ears!@517

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Lessons Learned From Roman Catholic “Father Acong” About Successfully Building Basic Ecclesial Communities (BECs) With Enduring Love

Image
I have been reading & rereading the book “ Father Ciriaco Alberto Sevilla, Jr – MSK Trailblazer” (242 pages, published 2010 in Lucena City, edited by Milwida S Reyes ). A 12-year-old book – is the content still relevant to come up with a new version? My answer is, “Yes!” Personally, I want the book to highlight the love for the poor parishioners that Father Acong showed, as he had single-mindedly created 400+ Basic Ecclesial Communities (BECs) in the far-flung villages of Quezon Province before he died Oct 2007. If that is not love for the poor, I don’t know what love is! About the BECs, Msgr Lope C Robredillo, VG, says [“An Overview Of The Basic Ecclesial Communities (BECs), From The Other Side Of History , msgrlope.blogspot.com ]: The Second Plenary Council of the Philippines devotes two paragraphs to describe the BECs… “They are small communities of Christians, usually of families who gather together around the Word of God and the Eucharist.” As Roman Catholic, an edit
Read more

BBM Sir, Climate Change Is Our Goliath – Be Our David & Throw A Single Deadly Stone – RA

Image
No denying – destructive winds, floods, landslides etc are thrown at us by the Goliath called “Climate Change.” As Secretary of Agriculture BBM Sir, please be our Brave Little David and throw the little stone called “RA” – Regenerative Agriculture . Then, we produce zero greenhouse gases (GHGs) and defeat Climate Change! (“BBM” from nypost.com ), “David Slaying Goliath” from herbertrsim.com ) In our inaction – Deaths and damages are everywhere. Admin says (accompanying top image): “Massive Infrastructure Damage To Hamper Post-Pandemic Growth In Western Visayas” ( boracayislandnews.com ) – about landslides and rampaging waters churned by Severe Tropical Storm Paeng . Ellen T Tordesillas says (accompanying middle image): “The Bridges Of Antique And Climate Change” (01 Nov 2022, verafiles.org ) – about the Paliwan Bridge in Antique collapsing. Krixia Subingsubing says: “New Climate Reports Point To Surging Global Disaster” (01 Nov 2022, Inquirer , newsinfo.inquirer.net ):
Read more

“The Times Call For A More Expansive Notion Of Agriculture” – PH Ex-Secretary Of Agriculture William Dar, Commencement Speaker, Benguet State University

Image
Days towards and at the end of his term as Secretary of Agriculture, I saw the full figure of William Dar on Facebook every now and then – with a happy face! The above image is from his Facebook page, 12 July 2022, with this caption: “Liam Dar Sicada and myself enjoying the breeze and fresh air at the farm in Lingsat, Sta Maria, Ilocos Sur!” Liam is a granddaughter, and Mr Dar is a native of Santa Maria. Ilocano. As an Ilocano myself, I dare say the ilocanos are a hardy, happy race! Mr Dar was Secretary of Agriculture from 05 Aug 2019 to 30 June 2022. The happy face is showing 12 days after an intense 29 months of accepting the problematic past, directing the chaotic present with 27 agencies of the Department of Agriculture (DA), and pointing to the promising future of Philippine agriculture. President Ferdinand “BBM” Marcos Jr has taken over the chaos as interim Secretary! On the morning of Friday, 08 July 2022, Mr Dar was guest speaker in the 97th Commencement Exercises of his
Read more