Rice sufficiency not likely by 2013, says IRRI official

MANILA, Philippines - Rice sufficiency may be achieved by the Philippines in five years or more, but not by 2013, a ranking official of the Laguna-based International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), said yesterday.

In an interview on the sidelines of the launching yesterday of the NMRiceMobile at the Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Training Institute (DA-ATI) in Quezon City, Dr. Achim Dobermann, deputy director general for research of IRRI, expressed doubts about the Aquino administrations goals of attaining rice self-sufficiency by 2013.

Dr. Dobermann said he believes that rice “self-sufficiency by 2013 is probably somewhat ambitious.”

A more realistic assessment is that it will take “more than five years for the Philippines to achieve sufficiency in rice.”

While the government should “rightfully” target rice self-sufficiency, Dr. Dobermann cautioned the Department of Agriculture (DA) against raising unrealistic expectations.

 “You cannot raise unrealistic expectations,” Dr. Dobermann said, pointing out that a lot of factors have to be taken into consideration such as the weather, agricultural investments and population growth.

According to Dr. Dobermann, population growth is the “No. 1 factor hampering rice self-sufficiency.”

He pointed out that if the population increases two million or more every year, “how are you going to feed them? Young people eat a lot of rice.”

Dr. Dobermann said population growth should be addressed systematically “otherwise it will be a challenge,” warning further that that country “may be running out of options” in terms of expansion areas and production.

Importantly too, Dr. Dobermann said agricultural investment has to increase, adding that even if such investments are made now, the trickle down effect to the farmers will take time.

He said that based on IRRI’s own studies, adoption rates of new investments is still a low 30 percent to 50 percent.

Meanwhile, the IRRI and DA launched yesterday a mobile phone-based service, dubbed Nutrient Management Manager for Rice Mobile (NMRiceMobile) which will give farmers faster mobile access to information that will help them maximize rice production.

The NMRiceMobile can be accessed through Smart and Globe.

By dialing a toll-free number on their mobile phone, Filipino farmers and extension workers can get a text message recommending the optimal timing, amount and type of fertilizer to apply to their rice fields.