CEBU, Philippines - The Department of Agriculture is eyeing the municipality of Tuburan in northwestern Cebu for its coffee and upland rice farming in line with President Benigno Aquino’s Food Staple Sufficiency Program (FSSP).
Director Jake Abejar, Special Assistant to the DA Secretary for Regional Engagement, visited the mountain barangays of Tuburan with Mayor Democrito Diamante Jr. recently.
Abejar said it was Diamante who requested Malacañang to send agriculture experts to his town to explore the possibility of coffee and upland rice farming.
He said that Diamante’s thrust of developing agriculture in the area coincide with the national government’s program of food self-sufficiency by 2013.
Abejar said that Malacañang admired Diamante for following the national program, prompting DA to heed his request.
Jorge Paculba, DA-7 crop operation chief, said there are four varieties of coffee and they are checking which of the four can be propagated in Tuburan.
Paculba said that they are also looking at upland rice farming although the place is already abundant with corn production.
The town is producing 77 metric tons of corn per hectare.
Abejar said that DA can help local government units in supporting the national government’s program especially on food production.
He said that 85 percent of agri-support is from the national government while 15 percent is the counterpart of the LGUs.
DA Secretary Proceso Alcala was reportedly scheduled to visit Tuburan and other areas in the Province of Cebu, but the trip was called off when the magnitude 6.9 earthquake hit Cebu and Negros Oriental early last month.
Abejar said Alcala will still visit Cebu soon to talk to some groups of irrigators, farmers and local leaders purposely to bring down to the remote places the programs of the national government.
DA’s thrust is for the country to export agricultural products by 2015. (FREEMAN)