Jennifer A Ng, Business Mirror
FARMING as a source of income remains unattractive as farmers&earned an average of P17,000 in 2009, according to figures disclosed&by Agriculture officials.
Sen. Francis Pangilinan said this bodes ill for the country’s effort to&produce enough food to support its growing population.
“Definitely [if farmers continue to earn less], it could pose a threat to&our efforts to achieve food security,” said Pangilinan at the sidelines of&a hearing on the Department of Agriculture’s (DA) budget for 2012.
The DA is proposing a budget of P61.73 billion for next year. The bulk&of the budget will go to the department’s banner programs such as for&rice and corn.
The senator, who heads the committee on food and agriculture, noted&that an annual income of P17,000 would mean that farmers earn only&an average of P2,000 a month.
This finding, said Pangilinan, seems to give credence to the perception&that there is no money in farming.
“Kaya hindi kataka-taka na ang average age ng farmers natin ay 57&years old,” he said.
Pangilinan said it is time for the government to implement appropriate? timely interventions to increase farmers’ income.&Among the measures that can be implemented, he said, is to ensure&that smallholder farmers are linked directly to markets where they can&sell produce.
The government estimated that there are around 11 million farmers all&over the Philippines.
Meanwhile, Agriculture Secretary Proceso J. Alcala announced that&the cash-for-work program which his department is implementing with&the Department of Social Welfare and Development has started in&Northern Samar last week.
Under the program, farmers who do not own lands will be employed&by the government for a given period. Alcala said their salary will be&based on the minimum wage prescribed by law. (published 08 September 2011 20:35)