Agriculture is linchpin of the economy - II

It is thus high time to do away, and cut clean, from the Filipino biases against the agricultural calling or profession. Instead of the erroneous prejudice that devoting one’s life to the soil is less dignified and less noble, let’s give Mother Earth the respect and importance it deserves. At least such change in attitude and aptitude is sine qua non for the socio-economic development of its agricultural potentials, especially in this multi-island Philippine Archipelago.

The Bachelor of Science in Agriculture is a five-year course leading to baccalaureate degree or profession. Agriculture, meaning science of the soil and its cultivation in producing crops and livestock, say, poultry and swine, is synonymous to Agronomy as a science and economics of crop production. Its allied subjects as incidental or alternative fields are Horticulture – flowers, fruits, and vegetables – and Aquaculture as the cultivation of water plants and marine creatures or animals for human use. All these studies or sciences may spell out to be agri-business in farming and its associated industries.

 Definitely, a baccalaureate graduate in Agriculture is a well-rounded professional with arrayed academic capabilities in both the flora and the fauna, not just soil cultivation, or mere corn or rice production, or plowing the ricefields. In fact, the U.P. Los Baños is a premier agricultural institution in Asia where even foreign scholars gravitate for agricultural sciences. For instance, its rice institute has been very famous in Asia for its varied stocks of high-yielding varieties and of short duration for cultivation.

 What is amusing is that the rice scholars from Vietnam, Taiwan, Burma, Thailand, Malaysia, et al. who learn the ropes from UP Los Baños, turned out experts in advanced rice culture and expertise that the Philippines has been importing the staple from some of these countries.

 On nationwide level, there are smatterings of higher education institutions offering courses in agriculture but then, it seems a matter of just enhancing their college offerings. Not many students seem to patronize or take the course. In Cebu, for instance, is there still the U.P. Sudlon Agricultural School? And, like Iloilo City perhaps, has there been a striking increase in enrolment lately in these agricultural schools?

Likewise, it behooves for the State to put stress and necessity of programs toward agriculture and its allied fields. Increasing the annual national budget for the Dept. of Agriculture is a must, not just the repetitive budget of the DA’s personnel salaries and allowances, but for active and effective field programs and projects nationwide.

For instance, the position of the Province/City/Town Agriculturist should be compulsory instead of just an optional position as now provided in R.A. 7160 and, full office complement of agricultural/horticultural/aquacultural personnel with adequate “wheels” to initiate, oversee, and supervise LGU agri-projects, always available, not just desk-bound or agri-business pseudo-experts.

One aspect of the agri-business programs is the irrigation component being handled by the National Irrigation Administration. Actual putting up of rural irrigation system has enhanced agricultural production in many rural communities. In Cabadiangan, Compostela, for example, the NIA has helped the farmers a lot, in rice and vegetable production, and even in household connections. Replicating these projects nationwide, plus a full complement of agricultural field workers in associating and working with farmers – virtually living with them – is what the nation needs to be self-sustaining in food production.

On reflection, one could have pursued the agricultural course had there been proper motivation, instead of “lawyering”, or teaching, or pushing the pen on the side. One’s love for the soil, and even the necessary bondage to Mother Earth in toil, but eventually rewarded by the fruits of hard work in harvests aplenty, is beyond compare. Nothing else over-rides the farmers’ bliss!