DA eyes dev’t of military reservation areas as agri sites

MANILA, Philippines – The Department of Agriculture (DA) is eyeing the development of military reservation areas into agricultural production sites as it aims to diversify sources of the country’s main staple food.

Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol said he is in talks with Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana and Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief Eduardo Año for the development of several military areas.

“I pursued our initial idea of developing military reservation areas into agricultural production areas. I told him (Lorenzana) if he would like to see soldier farmers and he loved the idea,” Piñol said.

The two agencies are set to sign a memorandum of agreement for the development of military reservations into agricultural production areas.

Piñol said the Department of National Defense and AFP would start the inventory of all military reservations nationwide that have the potential to be developed into farming areas.

“It’s now moving because General Año promised that he will come up with an inventory of all military reservations all over the country,” the Agri chief said.

One area that is being targeted is the 46,000-hectare Fort Magsaysay in Nueva Ecija.

“They were very happy with the suggestion and Secretary Lorenzana said that if they will be able to produce rice, that would already be supplied to our soldiers,” he said.

As to the DA, Piñol noted that pursuing the idea would help improve the country’s rice production and supply.

“If our soldiers will be able to produce rice good for the Armed Forces, that’s already one sector of the society that will no longer be dependent on the rice produced by our farmers,” he said.

The department has been looking into various areas that can be developed and improved as the government moves toward poverty alleviation and rice self-sufficiency by 2019.

Just recently, Piñol said the DA will divert its attention to non-traditional farming areas in Mindanao that are not prone to typhoons instead of the traditional farming sites in Luzon.