Written by the Web Team
More than a thousand farmer-leaders showed their support to the National Year of Rice (NYR) 2013, an advocacy campaign to help achieve rice self-sufficiency, during the National Convention of Food Staples Producers held at Manila Hotel, Dec. 14.
In their platform of action and advocacy, members of rural-based organizations, small water impounding systems, and irrigators’ associations, crafted activities that will help promote NYR 2013 messages, which include eating other staples, trying brown rice, and reducing rice wastage. Other staples include saba, cassava, kamote, corn, and potato, which are also good sources of carbohydrates.
To support the country’s goal of producing enough rice, farmer-leaders also pledged to use adequate amount of good quality seeds and adopt modern technologies, especially on nutrient and water management.
They also committed themselves to use farm machinery for reduced wastage and increased yield and not to burn rice straw as this practice is harmful to farmers’ health and the environment.
They also promised to enhance their knowledge on rice farming and share this knowledge to their fellow farmers.
They added that they will only cook rice that they can consume and will encourage others not to waste rice.
Earlier in November, more than 15,000 audience participated in the NYR launching at the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) Central Experiment Station in Nueva and in the cities of Dumaguete, Zamboanga, and Manila.
With the theme Sapat na Bigas, Kaya ng Pinas, the campaign is a component of the Food Staples Sufficiency Program and is being implemented by the Department of Agriculture and PhilRice.
