Alcala and outstanding women tillers

When Agriculture Secretary Proceso “Procy” Alcala spoke Tuesday at the Bulong Pulungan media forum at Sofitel Hotel, an observer said, “Sir, you should have been secretary of agriculture a long time ago.” For had Alcala been head of the Department of Agriculture a long time ago, we might have already become self-sufficient in rice, there would have been no importation and smuggling of chickens and vegetables from other countries, and no Filipino would have stayed hungry.

Alcala, twice a congressman representing the second district of Quezon, and who was appointed by President Aquino to the plum post on July 1, 2010, told the media there would be no rice shortage and we would not have to import rice by Year 2013 if more land is devoted to planting rice, irrigation systems and post-harvest facilities installed, accredited seedlings distributed, farmers’ attitude towards tilling the land improved, and farmers’ cooperatives formed.

He has visited practically all the regions to know what should be done. And his development programs as a congressman bear out the viability of his dreams. He organized trading centers in Quezon where buyers from Bicol, Batangas, Laguna and Metro Manila could buy farm and fishery products. His efforts have borne fruit: In the three quarters that he headed the biggest government department, there has been a 5.5 percent increase in farm and fisheries production, and the largest rice harvest ever. His target is trading centers all over the country.

When Alcala was in Congress, he co-authored laws on organic agriculture, the protection of the Mounts Banahaw and San Cristobal Protected Landscape, climate change, and the Expanded Senior Citizens Act. Sounding so practical and pragmatic, he is encouraging Pinoys to go slow on eating pure rice, but mixing it with extenders like camote, cassava and corn. He is promoting the planting of more corn, the return to vegetable gardening in the elementary schools, and use of organic fertilizers.

We wish the secretary to succeed — with our help, as producers and consumers.

And we hope there will be no fertilizer scams, no Joc-jocs, no diversion of funds to block his vision for an agriculturally-stable country.

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Alcala recognizes the role women play in the agriculture sector, but he is encouraging them to be more creative and productive by planting vegetables under coconut trees and backyard gardens. There are exceptionally industrious women farmers, though, and the secretary gave them awards on International Rural Women’s Day last week.

The worldwide celebration takes cognizance of the contribution being made by rural women who comprise more than one quarter of the total world population. They play a major role in ensuring food security and in the development and stability of the rural areas. Records show that in Asia, women perform over 50 percent of the labor involved in intensive rice cultivation, yet they frequently lack the power to secure land rights or to access vital services such as credit, inputs, extension services, training and education. Their contribution to society goes largely unnoticed.

To bring rural women out of obscurity and to remind society to value and give credit to rural women, World Rural Women’s Day was launched by several international non-government organizations (NGOs) during the 4th United Nations (UN) World Conference on Women in Beijing, China in 1995. Since then, World Rural Women’s Day is celebrated every Oct. 15 side by side with the celebration of the World Food Day every Oct. 16.

In the Philippines, the Department of Agriculture (DA) spearheads the celebration of the International or World Rural Women’s Day in partnership with the Philippine Commission of Women (PCW) and other institutions, among them the Pambansang Koalisyon ng Kababaihan sa Kanayunan (PKKK). The conduct of the Search for Outstanding Rural Women has been the highlight of the celebration since 2003.

Undersecretary Berna Romulo Puyat and Tess Bernardo led in the search for the 2011 outstanding rural women.

Myrna Conmigo-Acayen of Goa, Camarines Sur emerged as first place winner of the contest. She produces over 50 varieties of rice in her farm as she leads other farmers in seed banking to ensure availability of seeds which are resistant to pest and diseases and have qualities to adapt to typhoons and climate changes.

A staunch advocate of organic farming, she considers her farm as a big “refrigerator” of safe and fresh food. Along with rice, she grows vegetables, fruits, and root crops and raises animals and fish which are more than enough for the family. Other income comes from coconuts, abaca, pineapple, pili, and dried gabi leaves which Bicol is known for.

With farm wastes and plant extracts, she makes her own organic fertilizers and pesticides which she uses and sells to other farmers. The use of these products along with other natural farming techniques have dramatically reduced the cost and risk of farming and therefore increased her income.

Myrna was not able to finish high school but she has been an effective teacher of sustainable farming. She has at least 23 farmer-adopters in ten barangays of her town. Testimonies of these farmers show they were also freed from indebtedness in their farming business. Because of these, she is invited as a resource person in many parts of the country and serves as a sectoral representative in the Municipal Agricultural and Fishery Council of Goa.

Life has not been easy for this 54- year- old woman who married at the age of 16 and was widowed twice. She raised her six children by herself. As a tenant, she transformed a ten-hectare grassy land to a diversified integrated farm, enabling her to provide education for her family.

Myrna gives credit to the services of government and non-government organizations which she was able to access through her resourcefulness and hard work. These include the Magsasaka at Siyentipiko para sa Sustenableng Pagsasaka (MASIPAG), Plan International, Care Philippines, Ezer Foundation, the local government unit of Goa, and the Department of Agriculture, among others.

Other awardees in the contest are Remia Navarro-Apostol of Koronadal, South Cotabato, first runner-up;  Rebecca Castro-Tubongbanua of Buenavista, Guimaras, second runner-up; Marina Tumala- Inapan of San Juan, Siquijor, third runner-up, and Virginia Dentero-Dureza of Brookespoint, Palawan.

The five outstanding rural women were given cash awards, and, from Secretary Alcala, a hand tractor each.

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My e-mail:dominimt2000.