President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has declared July of every year as “Philippine Agriculturists’ Month” as part of the administration’s efforts to recognize the invaluable contribution of the agriculturists and to raise public awareness of the agricultural sector.
In a two-page Proclamation No. 544 signed by Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin on May 10, President Marcos highlighted the significant role of the agricultural sector in ensuring food security and fostering environmental protection and balanced urban and rural development.
“The celebration of the Philippine Agriculturists’ Month will engage professional agriculturists in agricultural advocacy, policy research and formulation, and provide an avenue for enterprise-building, communications training and community development,” Marcos said in signing Proclamation No. 544.
“Recognizing the contributions of agriculturists and highlighting their importance through a dedicated month will honor their hard work and dedication, and raise awareness about the significance of the agricultural sector in enhancing nationwide agricultural productivity and competitiveness,” he added.
Marcos ordered the Department of Agriculture (DA) and the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) and its Board of Agriculture to lead, coordinate, and supervise the observance of Philippine Agriculturists’ Month and identify the programs, activities and projects for its annual celebration.
All government agencies, instrumentalities, Government-Owned or-Controlled Corporations (GOCCS), government financial institutions, state universities and colleges, and the local government units and private sector are directed and encouraged, respectively, to observe Philippine Agriculturists’ Month.
The President's move was made to honor the dedication of agriculturists and raise awareness on the significance of the agricultural sector.
The proclamation also noted the contributions of agriculturists and highlighted their importance through a dedicated month that “will honor their hard work and dedication, and raise awareness about the significance of the agricultural sector in enhancing nationwide agricultural productivity and competitiveness.”
The Manila School of Agriculture, according to the proclamation, established in July 1989, will provide theoretical and practical education to skilled farmers and overseers, and promote agricultural development in the Philippines by means of observation, experiment and investigation towards deeper awareness and understanding of Philippine agriculture, thereby paving the way for agriculture to formally become an educational course in the Philippines.
Contract farming
Meanwhile, the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) said Tuesday that farmers could increase their profit if they capture the value added in palay (unhusked rice) through contract farming.
At the Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon public briefing, NIA Administrator Eduardo Guillen said the program is not limited to providing more affordable rice to consumers, as it could also benefit farmers if they become “entrepreneurs.”
“Ito po iyong gusto ng ating Pangulo (President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.). Sana iyong ating mga farmers ay ma-capture naman nila iyong whole value chain ng rice production… Huwag na sila magbenta ng palay na po sa susunod, bigas na (This is what President Marcos wants. Hopefully, our farmers could capture the whole value chain of rice production… Next time, they should sell rice instead of palay)," he said.
Guillen explained that farmers under contract farming are prioritized in the distribution of farm equipment, particularly the rice processing system of the Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization (PhilMech).
On average, the value added from palay production to rice milling is worth P37 per kg.
“So biruin niyo, kung kahit P20 iyong ma-capture nung mga farmers natin dito for every 1,000 hectares na ma-consolidate natin (So even if our farmers only capture P20 for every 1,000 hectares that are consolidated) per town, that would mean around P100 million na ma-capture po ng mga farmers natin to, mga cooperative natin (that would be captured by our farmers, our cooperatives)," Guillen said.
Under contract farming, farmers can secure income even at a farmgate price of at least P20, considering that the cost of production only ranges from P13.90 per kg. to P14.20 per kg.
The production cost is slashed through government support, which includes the distribution of seedlings, fertilizers and mechanization.
Guillen, meanwhile, said the contract farming program would continue to be rolled out, with the new batch targeting farmers not included in the Registry System for Basic Sectors in Agriculture.
Earlier, the Department of Agriculture confirmed the President’s instructions to expand and implement the program in the upcoming wet season planting to make more affordable rice available in the market.
In August, the NIA is set to sell 100 million kg. of rice at P29 per kg. in Kadiwa stores in Metro Manila, Cebu and Davao. PND and PNA
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