New admin urged to give agriculture 'new shot in the arm'

MANILA, Philippines - A former congressman from Ifugao province yesterday expressed optimism the incoming administration of President-apparent Sen. Benigno Aquino III, will “give agriculture a new ‘shot in the arm’ to alleviate poverty in our country.”

Gualberto “Bert” Lumauig, who was also former Ifugao governor, said: “We have been neglecting agriculture which, to me, is the foundation towards building a strong economy.”

He pointed out that when the Arroyo administration embarked on the production of hybrid rice in 2001, the goal was to reduce the country’s importation of the cereal and save on precious dollars, generate jobs in the countryside, improve farmers’ income through higher yields and attain self-sufficiency in rice.

“Napakaganda ng programang ito na hybrid rice. Sayang at hindi ito binigyan ng kaukulang suporta ng kasalukuyang administrasyon,” Lumauig said, adding that China, considered the most populous nation on earth, has popularized the production of hybrid rice, so much so that today, “it has not only substantially raised its food production but has also improved the living standards of its farmers.”

Citing statistics, Lumauig, the former politician-turned rice farmer in his hometown in Ifugao, said the average yield from inbred (traditional) rice variety is only 2.8 tons per hectare, while the average yield of a hybrid rice variety is 6.5 tons per hectare.

He expressed optimism that “if majority of our traditional farmers will go hybrid, we can expect a bumper harvest of palay in the coming years and ensure self-sufficiency in rice supply.”