Vol. XXVII No. 8 A monthly publication of the Department of Agriculture August 2012

The Aquino government willinvest P1.75 billion next year tofurther increase exports of non-traditional coconut products likecoconut water and virgin coconutoil (VCO).

“President Aquino is confidentthat the coconut industry has thepotentials to make it big in theworld market, and instructed thatassistance be given to coconutfarmers especially now that thereis big hype on coconut water,”Agriculture Secretary Proceso J.Alcala said during the 26thNational Coconut Weekcelebration, August 30, 2012,spearheaded by the DA’sPhilippine Coconut Authority(PCA).

To sustain the momentum offrontloading investments in agri-fishery infrastructure and attainsuff iciency in rice and otherstaples, the Department of Agri-culture is proposing a P74.1-bil-lion budget next year.

Secretary Proceso J. Alcalasaid the proposed funding willbankroll the Aquinogovernment’s Food Staples Suf-ficiency Program (FSSP), par-ticularly to attain 100 percent ricesufficiency by end of 2013.

Under the FSSP, the govern-ment plans to produce in 201320 million metric tons (MMT) ofpalay and 8.75 MMT of corn.

The DA chief presented anddefended the agency’s proposed2013 budget, August 22, 2012,during the House of Represen-tatives’ Committee on Appropria-tions hearing chaired by Rep.Joseph Emilio Abaya (1st District,Cavite) and co-chaired by Rep.Nur Jaafar (Tawi-tawi).

Secretary Alcala said the bulkof the 2013 budget, which is 21%

The Philippine agriculture sec-tor grew by 0.93 percent (%) inthe first half of 2012, with a grossvalue of P691.4 billion at currentprices.

Agriculture Secretary ProcesoJ. Alcala said the modest growthwas bannered by the poultry,

The Department of Agriculturewill provide free rice seeds andcrop insurance to farmers inLuzon whose crops were dam-aged by floodwaters and heavyrains due to Typhoon ‘Gener’ andTropical Storm ‘Helen’.

Secretary Proceso J. Alcalasaid flood-affected farmers willreceive free seeds of inbred riceso they could replant immedi-ately, and a free P10,000 cropinsurance coverage per hectare.

“We will encourage them toimmediately replant a third cropso they will be able to harvest byDecember,” the DA chief said.

The agriculture sector incurreda total damage of P2.96 billion,from both production and infra-structure sectors, caused by theweather disturbances for themonth of August.

The amount has yet to be vali-dated by the DA regional officesin coordiantion with provincialand municipal local officials inaffected areas.

DA proposes P74-B budget in 2013

(Pls turn to p2)

Agriculture Secretary Proceso J. Alcala (2nd from left) defends theproposed 2013 P74.1-billion budget of the Department of Agricul-ture during a House of Representatives Committee on Appropria-tions hearing, August 22, 2012. Joining him are top DA officials(from left) led by Undersecretaries Antonio A. Fleta, Segfredo R.Serrano and Emerson U. Palad.

more than thisyear’s allocationof P64.1 B, will bespent on major fi-nal outputs (MFO)that include irriga-tion (P28.75B)postharvest andother infrastruc-ture (P12.38B),production sup-port (P6.87B) andextension support(P3.04B).

Other MFOsand their respec-tive proposed bud-gets are: regulatory (P2.52B),plans and policies (P2.26B),credit facilitation (P2.01B), re-search and development(P1.45B), and market develop-ment (P1.28B).

The DA chief also presentedthe proposed 2013 budget for

Secretary Alcala guides Senator Loren B. Legarda as they tour acoconut nursery of the ‘Kasaganaan sa Niyugan ay Kaunlaran ngBayan’ (KAANIB) — an integrated livelihood, intercropping andlivestock raising program — at the Philippine Coconut Authority(PCA) compound in Quezon City, during the 26th National Coco-nut Week Celebration. The DA-PCA currently implements KAANIBin 300 sites nationwide.

Agri sector grows by 1% in H1crops and livestock subsectors,which grew by 5.5%, 1.5% and0.5%, respectively.

The fisheries subsector, how-ever, registered a decline of3.3% versus the same six-monthperiod last year.

The crops subsector, whichaccounted for 52% of total agri-cultural production, was led bypalay and corn, as productionincreased by 4.15 % and 4.8%,respectively.

Harvest of palay during the firstsix months of the year totaled7.89 million metric tons (MT),which is 4.2% higher than lastyear’s 7.58 million MT.

Corn production amounted to3.47 million MT, 4.8% more thanlast year’s output of 3.31 millionMT.

Secretary Alcala said goodweather and appropriate inter-ventions by the DA through theprovision of quality seeds andmore irrigated areas have en-abled farmers to produce arecord 2nd quarter palay harvest,totaling 3.9 million MT. This was10% higher than last year’s 3.54million MT during the same Aprilto June period.

Likewise, 2nd quarter produc-(Pls turn to p11)

DA-PCA to invest P1.75Bto export more emergingcoco products

(Pls turn to p2)

Flood-affected farmers to get free seeds, crop insuranceBased on data gathered by the

DA Management Information Di-vision, Typhoon Gener has af-fected 24 provinces in six re-gions (1, 2, 3, 4A, 4B and Cor-dillera), damaging P2.4-billionworth of rice, corn, high valuecrops, livestock and fishery prod-ucts.

Hardest hit was the rice sec-tor, affecting 109,219 hectares(has), of which 47,441 has weretotally damaged.

About 1,675 has planted tocorn, and 2,986 has planted tohigh value crops were also af-fected.

Secretary ‘Procy’ Alcala (right) holds newly-harvested organicampalaya, grown by 130 farmers in Sitio Lumbang, BarangayPulpogan, in Consolacion, Cebu. During the ‘field day,’ he urgedConsolacion Mayor Teresa Delgado (left) to consider expandingareas for production of vegetbles, corn and staple crops.

For the fishery sector, someP564 million were damaged, inthe form of lost fish stocks (milk-fish, tilapia, siganids, catfish,prawns, and crabs), fishpondsand fish cages.

Some P5.4-million worth ofpoultry and livestock animalswere also affected.

Tropical Storm Helen, how-ever, did not cause much dam-age, with only P90-million worthof rice, corn, vegetables, andfishery products affected in fourprovinces in Northern Luzon(Ilocos Sur, La Union andPangasinan) and Cagayan.

Agriculture Secretary ProcesoJ. Alcala urged Cebuano farm-ers to adopt a sustainable farm-ing system, during a series ofstakeholder’s forum healt at fourtowns in Cebu, August 14 to 15.

“By fully implementing a sus-tainable farming scheme, farm-ers would be more competitiveand thus earn bigger income,” hesaid during a two-day visit to thetowns of Carmen, Consolacion,Dalaguete and Argao, attendedby thousands of farmers and lo-cal government officials.

The DA chief also encouragedCebuano farmers to formthemnselves into groups or co-operatives to enable themselvesto produce more at very minimalor efficient costs and take ad-vantage of the economies ofscale.

“Dapat po ay malakihan angtanim, dahil napakalaki ngmerkado,” he said.

“Whenever you come togetherand organize yourselves into agroup, you are able to share theproduction cost, share the hardwork, and share the fruits of yourlabor,” he added.

With the Agri chief’s long beencampaign for cooperative move-ment he stressed that “there isalways strength in numbers.’’

P100M set asidefor crop insurance

DA urges Cebuanofarmers to adopt

sustainable agriculture

During the two-day Cebu visit,he dialogued with thousands offarmers, fishers, local govern-ment off icials -- bringing theAquino government’s programscloser to them, and readily re-solving their major concerns andproviding their needs.

“Whatever agreements wereach, the DA will follow throughand provide your needs,” Secre-tary Alcala assured them.

The DA chief also encouragedlocal farmers to meet with theagency heads of the DA in Re-gion VII to craft a roadmap forvarious commodities to ensurethat targets and interventions areput into place.

“Let us help one another,” hesaid.

Alcala has been breaking bar-riers for the past two years, eversince he was designated DAchief, by going around the coun-try, visiting all the 80 provinces

The Department of Agricul-ture has initially set asideP100 million in crop insurancepayments for farmers whoseinsured crops were damagedby floodwaters because of Ty-phoon Gener and the south-west monsoon rains.

Agriculture SecretaryProceso Alcala said the Phil-ippine Crop Insurance Corp.(PCIC) will fast-track the pro-cessing and payment of cropinsurance claims to enableaffected farmers to replantagain.

PCIC President JovyBernabe said his agency hasreceived initial crop insuranceclaims amounting to P98.73million, from July 29 to August8, 2012,

The crop insurance claimsbelong to 8,613 farmers, ofwhom roughly 97 percent, or8,322 farmers planted rice,while the rest or 291 raisedcorn.

The insured farmers planteda total area of 14,711 hectares(14,260 hectares of rice and451 hectares of corn) thatwere submerged in floodwa-ters.

Bernabe has instructed thePCIC central office and fieldstaff to fast-track the process-ing and payment of crop insur-ance claims on or before themaximum 20-day period.

Hundreds of researchers, sci-entists, members of the aca-deme, students, and farmers willget to know what ‘green andsmart’ rice farming is all about,as they gather at the ‘25th Na-tional Rice R&D Conference,’ ledby the Philippine Rice ResearchInstitute (PhilRice), Sept.4 to 6,2012, in Muñoz, Nueva Ecija.

With the theme, ‘Green andsmart rice farming for food suffi-ciency,’ the three-day conferencewill feature the latest and cutting-edge innovations in the rice in-dustry via technical paper andposter presentations by PhilRice

PhilRice highlights ‘green,smart rice farming

scholars and the country’s lead-ing rice scientists.

Thereafter, the DA NationalRice Program will hold its 2012Regional Rice R&D Review andPlanning conference, Sept. 5 to8, at the Philipppine CarabaoCenter, also in Muñoz.

The participants will be led byDA assistant secretary and na-tional rice program coordinatorDante Delima, along with DA re-gional directors, regional riceprogram coordinators, regionalcenter managers, top officials ofstate universities and colleges,and farmer-leaders.

Off icials and experts fromPhilRice and IRRI are also in-vited led by Dir. Eufemio Rasco,and IRRI deputy director generalBruce Tolentino. (PhilRice & DA)

to deliver the good news and ser-vices of the Aquinbo governmentcloser to the rural communities.(Oda Rodriguez, DA Information Service)

2 11August 2012

Editorial

Writers: Adora D. Rodriguez, Joan Grace B. Pera, Arlhene S. Carro,Bethzaida N. Bustamante, Catherine N. Nanta, Marshall Louie Asis

Contributors: DA-RFU Info Officers, Public Info Officers of DA Bureaus,Attached Agencies & Corporations, MRDP & other Foreign-Assisted Projects

Photographers: Jose Lucas, Alan Jay Jacalan & Kathrino ResurreccionLay-out Artist: Bethzaida Bustamante and Almi Adeli Q. ErlanoPrinting & Circulation: Teresita Abejar & PCES Staff

Editor-In-Chief : Noel O. ReyesAssociate Editors: Cheryl C. Suarez & Adora D. Rodriguez

is published monthly by the Department of AgricultureInformation Service, Elliptical Road, Diliman, Quezon City. Tel. nos. 9288762loc 2148, 2150, 2155, 2156 or 2184; 9204080 or tel/fax 9280588. Thisissue is available in PDF file. For copies, please send requests via email:da_afis @yahoo.com.

Namanglaw ang buwan ng Agosto dahil sa pagpanaw ngdalawa sa pinaka-magigiting na lider sa larangan ng serbisyopubliko sa makabagong panahon. Tila ba dalawang dahon nanaman ang nalagas sa lupon ng mga kaagapay at katuwang ngKagawaran upang palakasin ang kakayanan ng mga Pilipinongmagsasaka.

Si Tatay Salvador H. Escudero, bagaman matagal nang taposmaninilbihan bilang Ministro at Kalihim ng DA, ay naging masugidna tagapagsulong ng sektor ng pagsasaka at pangingisda tungosa mas maunlad na agrikultura.

Ala-ala ng kanyang mga naka-trabaho ang kanyang positiveattitude sa pagharap sa anumang tungkulin. Bagaman seryososa trabaho, tuwinang may nakahandang ngiti si Esco sasinumang makasalubong. Kaya naman di maitatanggi napaborito sya ng halos lahat ng mga empleyado.

Mapalad tayo at dumalaw ang dating Kalihim noong Hunyopara sa pagdiriwang ng 114th DA anniversary. Hirap man sapaglakad at pagkilos, di kinakitaan si Esco ng pananamlay dahilsa iniindang sakit. Sa halip, nakisaya at nakiisa siya sa atinglahat. Bukod dito, nag-iwan din siya ng mensahe at hamon upanghigit nating pagbutihin n ang paglilingkod sa mga pangunahingtagapakinabang ng agrikultura.

Halos wala pang isang linggo matapos ang pagpapanaw niEscudero, isang plane crash naman ang kumitil sa buhay niSec. Jesse Robredo ng DILG.

Marami ang nalungkot at nanghinayang dahil anila dimatatawaran ang pambihirang pamumuno ng Kalihim. Sakatunayan,legacy niyang maituturing ang tapat at demokratikongpamumuno sa Kagawaran ng Interyor at Pamahalaang Lokalna nagpamahal sa kanya sa mga kawani nito.

Gabay niya ang prinsipyong “Hindi sapat na tayo aymahusay lamang. Ang dapat ay matino at mahusay upangkarapat-dapat tayong pagkatiwalaan ng pera ng bayan.”

Nananatiling maganda ang relasyon ng DA at DILG, dahilmagkatuwang nilang ibinabalik ang tiwala ng taumbayan sanational government. Sabi nga ni Sec. Procy, malimit niyangkausapin si Sec. Jesse upang plantsahin ang mga gusot sa mgapamahalaang lokal na pilit inaabot ng Agriculture chief upanghatiran ng tulong at interbensyon.

Sa usapin ng pag-aangat ng antas ng buhay ng mgamamamayan sa malalayong komunidad ng bansa, nagkakaisaang dalawang ahensya.

Maraming aral ang hatid sa atin ng nagdaang buwan – ngunitpinakamahalaga na siguro ay ang iniwang magagandanghalimbawa na iniwan ni Sec . Escudero at Sec. Robredo. Tunayngang walang nakaaalam ng ating kapalaran, ngunit tayo pa rinang masusunod kung paano natin papagyamin ang ating buhay.

Iyan marahil ang pinakamahalagang leksyon na iniwan sa atinnina Sec. Escudero at Sec. Robredo.

Gamitin natin ang ating buhay, mahaba man o maiksi, upangmakatulong at makapaglingkod sa ating kapwa upang kung saanman tayo dalin ng ating kapalaran, maaalala tayo sa ating sipagat walang pag-iimbot na serbisyo sa sambayanan.

Pamana nina Escudero at RobredoDA-PCA ... (from p1)

He said the proposed budgetof DA-PCA in 2013 is 47 percentmore than this year’s budget ofP1.2 billion.

“We will devise and implementstrategies to take advantage ofthe growing export demand oncoco water, VCO and coconutsap sugar,” the DA chief added.

For his part, PCA AdministratorEuclides Forbes said exports ofcoconut water during the first sixmonths of the year haveincreased to 10.2 million liters(worth $11.2 million), doublingfrom 5.7 million liters (worth $5.6M) during the same six-monthperiod in 2011.

He said the DA-PCA is workingwith the Department of Scienceand Technology (DOST) and thePhilippine Center for PostharvestDevelopment and Mechanization(PhilMech) to develop respectiveprocessing and postharvesttechnologies that would further

DA proposes P74-B budget ... (from p1)commodity banner programs, re-gional field units (RFUs), bu-reaus, attached agencies, andsubsidy for attached corpora-tions.

For commodity programs, theDA proposes a total of P15B,broken down as: P7.45B for rice,P3.66B - fisheries, P1.52B -corn, P1.36B - high value crops,and P1.03B for livestock.

For the 15 DA-RFUs, includ-ing ARMM, the proposed budgettotals P43.32B, while for the DA’seight bureaus, P8.19B; nine at-tached agencies, P3.45B; andsubsidy for seven attached cor-porations, P9.92B.

Alcala said alongside an in-creased budget in 2013, the DAseeks the approval of the

agency’s rationalization plan toaugment its personnel which hasdwindled through the yearsmostly due to retirement. Todate, the DA has a total autho-rized positions of 26,952, ofwhich 22% or 6,019 positionsremain unfilled or vacant.

The DA also seeks the supportof both Houses of Congress toenact priority legislations to sus-tain the modernization and glo-bal competitiveness of thecountry’s agriculture and fisherysector.

These include the NationalLand Use Act, food safety act,sugarcane industry developmentact, and strengthening and refin-ing the functions of the NationalFood Authority. (DA Info Service)

tion of corn increased by 4% to1.45 million MT, from last year’slevel of 1.4 million MT.

Meanwhile, despite the recentflooding due to typhoons ‘Ferdie’and ‘Gener,’ and monsoon rains,the forecasts are bright for bothpalay and corn for the secondsemester.

Based on survey of standingcrops last July, the DA’s Bureauof Agricultural Statistics said the3rd quarter palay production mayreach 3.56 million MT, which is12% more than last year’s out-put of 3.17 million MT.

For the 4th quarter, based on

Agri sector grows ... (from p1)

farmers’ planting intentions,palay production would top 6.36million MT, which is 7% morethan last year’s output of 5.94million MT.

In all, palay production for2012 may reach 17.8 million MT,which would be another recordharvest, and 6.7% more than lastyear’s output of 16.68 million MT.

As for corn, production for thesecond semester may reach3.99 million MT, based on 3rd

quarter standing crop and 4 th

quarter farmers’ planting inten-tions.

lengthen the shelf life of coconutwater for domestic and exportmarkets.

Further, the PCA chief saidexports of VCO also doubled to4,422 metric tons (MT), worth$18.2M, from 2,072 MT (worth$8.4M), from January to June2012 versus the same period lastyear.

Secretary Alcala said thecoconut industry should takeadvantage of available maturedtechnologies to enable coconutfarmers and entrepreneurscreate new and innovative by-products from the “tree of life.”

To sustain the productivity andfurther increase the incomes ofsmall coconut farmersand their families,Secretary Alcala saidthe DA through thePCA is vigorouslyimplementing anationwide coconutplanting andreplanting program,where as of July 31,2012, some 14.6million seed nuts wereplanted, accountingfor 71% of this year’stotal target.

The PCA also aimsto fertilize up to 25million coconut treesin 2013, and willvigorously implementa coconut livelihoodand intercroppingprogram, calledKasaganaan saNiyugan ay Kaunlaran ng Bayan(KAANIB), in 300 sitesthroughout the country.

Forbes said coconut productsand by-products remain as thecountry’s leading agriculturalexports, totaling $1.96 billion (B)last year, 20 per cent more thanin 2010, worth $1.63B.

He said some 39 coconutproducts and by-products areexported to at least 100countries.

Last year, the top export wascoconut oil worth $1.4B, followedby desiccated coconut ($287

DA Chief joins ‘Magsaysay Awardee,’ lady farmers inArgao, Cebu. Secretary Alcala hands over cuttings of sweet po-tato to women-farmers, who are participants of a Farmer-Scien-tists Training Program (FSTP), during an ‘Agri-Pinoy’ stakehold-ers’ forum in Colawin, Argao, Cebu. The FSTP is the brainchild oftheir illustrious townmate Dr. Romulo Davide (right), professoremeritus at the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB),and one of the 2012 Ramon Magsaysay Awardees. He launchedthe FSTP in 1994, using the prize money for clinching the “Out-standing Agricultural Scientist” award of the Department ofAgriculture’s annual Gawad Saka contest. The DA has adoptedthe FTSP as a national program in 2008, and currently implementsit in 20 provinces in partnership with the UPLB, local governmentunits, farmers’ groups and NGOs.

(Pls turn to p11)

Likewise, total corn productionfor the entire 2012 may reach7.46 million MT, which is also arecord harvest, and 7% morethan last year’s output of 6.97million MT.

In all, the projected increasesin palay and corn production maybe attributed to the expansion inharvest areas due to expansionof irrigated areas, and improve-ment in yields due to the use ofquality seeds.

During the first six months ofthe year, production of othermajor crops also increased.These include coconut (up by5.5%), pineapple (4.4%), coffee(4.4%), tobacco (3.8%), abaca

Agri sector ... (from p2)

PhilMech ... (from p8)bile pre-treatment equipmentthat will prevent the deteriorationof fresh coconut water.

Due to lack of technology andequipment, only 10 percent ofcoconut water is recovered fromfarms for processing, packagingand export, the PCA said. (PNA)

Secretary Alcala (middle) assures Mayor John Balasya (right) ofKayapa, Nueva Vizcaya of the DA’s continuing support to trans-form the town into a major producer of semi-temperate or‘chopsuey’ vegetables. The DA assistance consists of farm equip-ment and inputs, including the establishment of trading centersand agricultural tramlines (inset) like the one at BarangayTubongan, worth P1.9 million, that transports vegetables fromupland production areas to the nearest road and onto public mar-kets. The Tubongan tramline benefits more than 150 Kayapa farm-ers, who till 60 hectares planted to ‘chopsuey’ vegetables. Also shownis Director Rex Bingabing (left) of the DA’s Philippine Center forPostharvest Development and Mechanization (PhilMech).

Bambang (20); Sta. Fe (10);Alfonso Castaneda (15);Ambaguio (20); Aritao (20);Bagabag (20); Bayombong (10);Diadi (20); Kasibu (20); Quezon(10); Solano (10); and Villaverde(20 SFRs).

The DA chief also gave minirice threshers for barangays SanFabian and Tubungan.

During the forum, he assuredNueva Vizcaya farmers and lo-cal officials that the Aquino gov-ernment through the DA will pro-vide them with needed supportto transform the town into a ma-jor producer of upland veg-etables.

He also allotted five scholar-ship slots, under the AgriculturalCompetitiveness EnhancementFund, for high school graduateswho will pursue agriculture-re-lated courses.

He also raffled off several farmimplements and inputs to farmer-participants.

During the visit, SecretaryAlcala also inaugurated severalprojects that include two agricul-tural tramlines, a vegetable pack-ing house, a MPDP, greenhouseand a techno-demo farm. (BethzaidaBustamante, DA Info. Service)

DA allots P19M...(from p3)

(3.1%), cabbage (3%) and rub-ber (6.7%). Total crop produc-tion was valued at P392.3 billion,at current prices.

The poultry subsector, whichshared 13.9% in total agriculturaloutput, expanded by 5.5% andgrossed P81.3 billion at currentprices.

The livestock subsector, whichcontributed 15.2% to total agri-cultural production, grew slightlyby one-half percent (0.5%), andgrossed P100.3 billion at currentprices.

The fisheries subsector, whichaccounted for 18.8% of total ag-ricultural output, contracted by3.3%. It grossed P117.4 billionat current prices.

Thousands of ... (from p10)

million), and coco chemicals($35M). Other coconut exportproducts are VCO, coco water,chips, jam, vinegar, frozen cocomeat, liquid coco milk, coconut

milk powder, makapuno, cocoliquor, coco coir and coconuthandicraft, among other by-products. (DA Info. Service &PCA)

The three-month SOA pro-gram is spearheaded by the DA-12 Regional Agriculture andFisheries Information Division(RAFID), in coordination with theprovincial information offices,and provincial and municipalagriculture off ices inSoccsksargen.

Director Datukan said the‘SOA on IPM’ is aired over inseveral radio stations, reaching

ten of thousands of listeners inthe provinces of South Cotabato,North Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat,Sarangani, and the cities ofKidapawan, General Santos,Cotabato, Tacurong andKoronadal.

The program is aired 11 a.m.to 12 noon, every Saturday, via“Ugnayan sa DA” on radio sta-tion DXMS in Cotabato City. It isalso aired by its sister stationDXND in Kidapawan City.

It is also heard every Mondayand Fridays, 6 to 7 p.m, over ra-dio station DXCP in GeneralSantos City; and 1 to 1:30 p.m.,every Tuesday, on “Agri Watch”program of DA-12 at stationBombo Radyo in Koronadal City.

The SOA on IPM is hosted byagriculture experts, who will givelectures on IPM technologiesand practices for rice, corn, high-value crops, and livestock. (PNA)

August 201210 3

The DA forecasts to attain atotal production of 7.8 millionmetric tons (MMT) of corn forthe entire 2012, based on cur-rent standing crop and plantingintentions of farmers.

Agriculture assistant secre-tary Edilberto de Luna said the7.8-MMT forecast is 12 percentmore than last year’s record of6.97 MMT.

“We are confident that we willhit our target this year,” saidDe Luna, who serves as theDA’s national corn program co-ordinator.

He said the DA is now imple-menting additional interventionprograms to entice farmers toincrease areas planted to corn,as well as the use of open-pol-linated corn variety in coconutareas to increase yield.

“We want to increase areasthrough development of idleand new lands suitable for cornproduction and promote inter-cropping of corn to coconut and

DA to resume ACEF, allots P281M for 16 projects

cassava, which is also one ofthe main ingredients for animalfeeds,” he said.

Interventions will include mar-keting and production supportservices, irrigation develop-ment, and construction ofpostharvest facilities to lowerproduction losses, the officialsaid.

At present, production lossesin the corn sector stands at 12percent.

“If we can reduce our produc-tion losses, we can achieveself-sufficiency earlier than2013,” de Luna said.

Under the Food Staples Suf-ficiency Program, the DA ex-pects to achieve self-sufficiencyin corn by the end of 2013, withcorn production eyed from6.971 million MT in 2011 toabout 8.450 million MT.

The agency will also increasecorn production to about 10.818million by 2017. (PNA)

The Department of Agriculturewill resume the implementation ofthe Agricultural CompetitivenessEnhancement Fund (DA-ACEF),approving an initial P281 millionto bankroll 16 projects.

Agriculture Secretary ProcesoJ. Alcala said the decision wasarrived at during a special enbanc meeting of the Congres-sional Oversight Committee onAgricultural and Fisheries Mod-ernization (COCAFM), co-chaired by Senator FrancisPangilinan and Rep. MarkLlandro Mendoza, August 16,2012, at Club Filipino, in SanJuan City.

The meeting was also attendedby Budget Secretary FlorencioAbad and Customs Commis-sioner Ruffy Biazon.

Secretary Alcala said theCOCAFM also agreed on thenew allotment of ACEF, wherein60 percent (5) will go to grants,30% to loans, and 10% to schol-arships.

He said the DA-ACEF nationalprogram office will also start pro-cessing requests for grants andscholarships.

Further, he said the DA willforge a memorandum of agree-ment with the departments ofbudget and management (DBM)and finance (DOF) to delineatethe roles of each agency in thecollection and disbursement ofavailable ACEF funds, which todate amounts to P1.9 billion.

The MOA will also ensure thecollected tariff from importedagri-fishery products under theminimum access volume (MAV)

2012 corn harvest to top 7.8 MMT

scheme will go straight to ACEFand not remitted back to the gen-eral fund of the national govern-ment, as what has previouslyhappened since 2007.

The ACEF, created under Re-public Act 8178 or AgriculturalTariffication Act of 1996, is a poolfunds collected from duties ofimported agricultural productsunder the MAV scheme.

Under RA 8178, ACEF shouldbe used for irrigation, farm-to-market roads, post-harvest facili-ties, credit, R&D, training and ex-tension services, and marketingto empower Filipino farmers and

The Department of Agriculturehas alloted more than P19 mil-lion (M) to pursue several agri-culture and fishery projects inNueva Vizcaya, aimed at devel-oping its potentials as a majorproducer of upland or ‘chopsuey’vegetables and other high valuecrops.

Agriculture Secretary ProcesoJ. Alcala handed over variousfarm equipments and inputs tofarmers’ organizations and localofficials who attended the Agri-Pinoy Stakeholders Forum inBrgy. Besong, Kayapa, NuevaVizcaya on August 7, 2012. Theforum was attended by about1,000 farmers and ruralfolk. Thevisit is Sec. Alcala’s fourth in theprovince and 14th in Region II.

For Kayapa alone, the DA al-lotted P4.2M agriculturalprojects, which include: a diver-sion dam, a small farm reservoirand rain shelter, at P1M each;about P621,000 for a coffeeproject (planting materials, cof-fee dehuller, roasting machine,

DA allots P19M for agri-fishery projectsin Nueva Vizcaya

Former Agriculture Secretaryand incumbent Sorsogon Rep-resentative Salvador H.Escudero III, has joined ourCreator, August 13, 2012, aftera two-year battle with cancer.

Agriculture SecretaryProceso J. Alcala, and DA offi-cials and employees nation-wide have extended their deep-est sympathy and condolencesto the family and loved ones ofthe former DA chief.

“We are saddened by his un-timely demise, and we sharethe grief of his family, friends,relatives and constituents, andwe wish that they will find so-lace and strength in his memo-ries,” Secretary Alcala said.

“Our thoughts and prayerscontinue to be with them asthey gradually overcome thismoment of grief,” he added.

Until the end, Sec Escuderowas a staunch supporter of theagriculture sector and has val-iantly committed efforts for theadvancement of the farmers,fisherfolk and their families.

The late Secretary “Sonny”Escudero or SHE (his initials),as he was fondly called by DAofficials and employees, hasserved the DA as Director of theBureau of Animal Industry, from1975-1984, and as Minister ofAgriculture and Food (MAF)from 1984 to 1986.

During his f irst term, heimplemented then the IntensiveRice Production Program(IRPP), and an expanded ani-mal dispersal program, particu-larly the ‘Bakahang Barangay’(cattle raising at the villagelevel) and ‘Pagbababuyan’(swine raising).

In 1996, he was appointed byformer President Fidel Ramosand served for the second timeas DA Secretary.

During that time, he launchedthe Gintong Ani food produc-tion and security program.

He also organized subsis-tence farmers into functional

Ex-DA chief SHE III, 69

groups and cooperatives,aimed at transforming theminto viable producers and en-trepreneurs.

Prior to his stint at the Minis-try of Food and Agriculture, heserved as Dean of the UPLBCollege of Veterinary Medicine,from 1970 to 1984.

Congressman Escudero hadbeen part of the legislaturefrom 1984 to 1986. He was re-elected to the House of Rep-resentatives from 1987 to 1998and again won as a congress-man during the 2010 elections.

He authored several majorlegislations that includedamendments to the Local Gov-ernment Code, and automaticpromotion of government offi-cials and employees upon re-tirement from government ser-vice.

He served as a member ofvarious committees such as onagrarian reform, agricultureand food, aquaculture and fish-eries resources, civil serviceand professional regulation,higher and technical education,population and family relations.

He was survived by wifeEvelina Guevarra Escudero,and sons Senator Francis‘Chiz’ Escudero and Philip --and daughter, Bernadette.

Sec. Alcalawith the lateDA Sec. and

Sorsogon Rep.‘Sonny’

Escudero

DA readies brand name,patents for rice exports

Thousands of farmers join ‘SOA’ on IPMAbout 1,000 farmers in

Soccsksargen or Region 12have ‘enrolled’ or signed up toattend or aptly listen regularly tothe DA’s regionwide informationand education program on inte-grated pest management (IPM)via ‘School On-the-Air’ or SOA.

DA Region 12 Director AmaliaJayag-Datukan said the instruc-tional campaign, which startedairing August and will run untilOctober, aims to increase the

bleneer, cooking table); two unitsof multipurpose drying pavement(P200,000); palay shed(P200,000); and 11 units pres-surized irrigation system(P167,000).

The DA through the Bureau ofFisheries and Aquatic Re-sources also gave Kayapafisherfolk with 100,000 pieces oftilapia fingerlings and elvers(P500,000), and a fishcage live-lihood project (P200, 000).

Secretary Alcala also commit-ted P5M for farm-to-market road(FMR) project and a vegetabletruck for the municipality.

The DA through the nationalrice program and Bureau of Soilsand Water Management(BSWM) also provided P9.2M to14 other municipalities for theconstruction of 240 units ofsmall farm reservoirs (SFRs),worth P40,000 each.

The recipients include the fol-lowing towns, with their respec-tive SFRs: Dupax del Norte (15SFRs); Dupax del Sur (20);

(Pls turn to p11)

fishers to be globally competi-tive.

ACEF was set to expire in2005, but was extended by Con-gress until 2015.

Secretary Alcala recom-mended a moratorium on theimplementation of ACEF in July2010 when the Commission onAudit found irregularities in theutilization of the fund.

Since then, the DA, COCAFM,and DBM have revised the guide-lines regarding the processing

and approval of proposedprojects, and devised transparentmechanisms to efficiently imple-ment the program.

Senator Pangilinan said “I’dlike to have a regular monitoringonce every two months, so wecan properly ensure that we aregoing on the right direction.”

He said the COCAFM willmeet every month to oversee andapprove the fund releases, andensure that the program is run-ning smoothly. (Catherine Nanta,DA Info Service)

The Department of Agricultureis asking the public to help it de-sign the official brand name andlogo for the different traditionalvarieties of Philippine rice, whichthe government plans to exportstarting next year.

Secretary Alcala said the ricepatents should belong to commu-nities where the rice originated.

For his part, DA assistant sec-retary Dante Delima said the DAwill choose two varieties ofhome-grown or native rice pro-duced by each province for in-clusion in the assortment of prod-ucts that would bear the Philip-pine brand.

He said the Philippine fancy orindigenous rice will compete withrice from traditional exporters,like Thailand, Vietnam and India,which have brands or patents forlong-grain and aromatic rice.

Delima said the DA needs topatent its local rice varieties, asa protection, and enable it tocompete in the world rice mar-ket.

Compared to other SoutheastAsian countries, the Philippines

BAI, BAR join hands to developnew leather tanning technique

(Pls turn to p11)

has the richest cereal inventorywith up to 6,000 native or indig-enous rice varieties, said Delima,who is also the DA’s national riceprogram coordinator.

He said ‘heirloom’ rice, orthose produced in the Cordilleraand Ifugao rice terraces, is at thetop of the list of the Philippines’premium rice, and will sell wellin the export market.

He said the DA has decided tomake the sources of native riceas owners, so royalties would befunneled back to farmers whoproduce them.

He said government is study-ing how to assign bar codes toPhilippine rice that reflects itsorigin. But the best feature arethe rice DNA records, he said.

Both the Philippine Rice Re-search Institute (PhilRice) andthe International Rice ResearchInstitute (IRRI) are mapping outthe genetic codes of thecountry’s rice varieties, “so wecan prove the lineage of our riceonce we start exporting,” Delimasaid. (Phl Daily Inquirer, NorthernLuzon)

Secretary Alcala (right) stresses a point during a meeting of the Congressional Oversight Committee onAgricultural and Fisheries Modernization (COCAFM)—co-chaired by Senator Francis Pangilinan (left)and Rep. Mark Llandro Mendoza—on August 16, 2012, at Club Filipino, San Juan, where they dis-cussed the resumption of the implementation of the Agricultural Competitiveness Enhancement Fund(ACEF). The meeting was also attended by Budget Secretary Florencio Abad and Customs Commis-sioner Ruffy Biazon.

Experts at the DA’s Bureau ofAnimal Industry (BAI) are look-ing cheaper leather tanningdegreasing agents which mayrevive the country’s leather in-dustry.

The initiative, funded by theDA’s Bureau of Agricultural Re-search (BAR), involves improv-ing the tanning of pig skin as aleather materia using naturalsubstances like paraff in waxand bile.

The joint BAI-BAR project iscalled “Improvement of Pro-cessing Technology for MeatSkins from Selected Strains ofNative Pigs.”

The tanning technique will re-place a current ly useddegreasing agent ‘nonylphenolethoxylate,’ said to be harmfulto the environment, with paraf-fin and bile, which are cheaper.

Dr. Eduardo D. Torne, BAI’sAnimal Product DevelopmentCenter Tannery and By Prod-ucts officer in charge, said thePhilippines currently importsnonylphenol ethoxylates fromTaiwan, China and other coun-tries at P220 per kilo.

Paraffin wax, which comesfrom animal fat, only costs P50to P90 per kilo, while bile is sim-ply a waste material.

“These are natural sub-stances so we can go organicwith these degreasing agents,”Torne said.

A degreasing agent removesthe fat from the animal’s dermispart of the skin.

The cost of a degreasingagent takes up 20 percent to 25percent of the total tanning pro-cess cost, from animal skin intoleather.

Torne said there are aboutfive or six large tanneries inValenzuela City, out of some 70tanners nationwide. The restare small, cottage-type enter-prises.

The BAR said the Philippinesexported various leather goodsin 2003 worth $142 million, withthe US as the major market.along with Japan, United King-dom and Canada.

Shipments of gloves ac-counted for 48 percent of ex-port revenues, followed bytravel goods, bags and belt.

The exportsof Philippinesleather goods have wanedthrough the years, as buyers pre-ferred cheaper competiting prod-ucts from China and Thailand.(Business Mirror)

awareness of farmer-students onIPM and sustainable control andprevention of pests, and teachthem the newest farming tech-nologies using radio as a me-dium.

The information and advocacycampaign is part of the DA’sFood Self-Sufficiency Program(FSSP), which aims to achieveself-sufficiency in rice and othermajor staples by end of 2013through 2016.

9August 20124

Mindanao to serve as modelof proposed PRDP

Phl fish exporters comply with EU standardsWith proper training and tech-

nical assistance, Filipino fishprocessors and exporters arenow complying with the stringentstandards prescribed by the Eu-ropean Union (EU).

Thanks mainly to the TradeRelated Technical AssistanceProgram 2 (TRTA2), which theDepartment of Agriculture hasbeen implementing in partner-ship with the EU, said MaribelMarges of the DA policy service.

She said as a result of the

A World Bank (WB) expertsaid Mindanao would lead andserve as a model in the imple-mentation of a proposed multi-billion national initiative, calledthe Philippine Rural Develop-ment Program (PRDP).

Carolina F. Geron, WB lead ru-ral development specialist, saidthe experience of MindanaoLGUs in the ongoing secondphase of the Mindanao Rural De-velopment Program (MRDP) hasput them in a better position tolead in the implementation ofPRDP.

The Department of Agricultureis finalizing the program docu-ments of PRDP, which will besubmitted to the WB for fundingworth $500 million.

The proposed national pro-gram, which is an ‘upscale ver-sion’ of MRDP, will cover 12 re-gions in the country, that includeCALABARZON (Region 4A)MIMAROPA (4B), Bicol (5),Western Visayas (6), CentralVisayas (7) and eastern Visayas(8), and all six regions inMindanao.

The PRDP seeks a total fund-ing of $627 million, which in-cludes the equity share of the na-tional government and the LGUs.

“Since PRDP is demand-driven, Mindanao is expected toget most of the investments,since it has already preparedproject feasibility studies anddesigns as excess demandsfrom the MRDP proposals,”Geron said during the recentlyconcluded 8th WB review mis-sion.

She said the MRDP has beensuccessful for over 12 years now

in helping poor farming and fish-ing communities by capacitatingfarmers’ and fishers’ groups,NGOs, and LGUs in implement-ing various infrastructure, liveli-hood and environmentalprojects.

MRDP Deputy director Arnel V.De Mesa said the program hasa total excess of P6.8-billionworth of infrastructure projectswaiting for funding.

“I understand the first P2.5-bil-lion worth of infrastructureprojects of the MRDP excess willbe the first projects to be fundedunder PRDP,” Geron said.

She added that the PRDP willbe the platform for a modern and‘climate-smart’ agriculture in thecountry.

For his part, Secretary Alcalasaid the implementation of PRDPis expected to be smoother asthe program’s guidelines have in-corporated lessons learned fromMRDP.

The DA is set to submit thePRDP for evaluation and ap-proval by both the National Eco-

The Department of Agriculturein Northern Mindanao (DA-RFU10) recently trained 220 publicschool teachers in Malaybalayand Valencia, Bukidnon on the‘Gulayan sa Paaralan’ for schoolyear 2012-2013.

The initiative is part of the DA’snational program in partnershipwith the Department of Educa-tion (DepEd) to produce foodand at the same time teachschool children to appreciate andeat nutritious vegetables, whichthey will grow themselves.

The teacher-participants weretaught on basic gardening andmanagement, and proper way to

DA Chief honors 2012 Gawad Saka Cordillera winners. Secretary Alcala (4th from left, backrow) poses with the Cordillera regional winners of the 2012 Gawad Saka or search for outstandingachievers in agriculture and fisheries, at the DA-CAR office in Baguio City, August 6, 2012. Theyreceived respective plaques and cash awards, and will vie for the national Gawad Saka on October2012. They are (from left, front row): Teodoro G. Kub-ao Jr. of Tabuk, Kalinga (rice farmer); LebengRIC of Bashoy, Kabayan, Benguet (Rural Improvement Club); Barlig Development MPC (BarangayFood Terminal); Ricarte Domingo and family of Barangay Alem, Pudtol, Apayao (farm family); LaTrinidad, Benguet (Municipal Agriculture and Fishery Council); Green Thumb 4-H Club of Atok,Benguet (young farmers’ organization); Mt. Province (Provincial Agriculture and Fishery Council);and Jefferson C. Laruan of Puguis, La Trinidad, Benguet (organic farmer). Other officials shown(back row, starting 2nd from left) are DA-Cordillera regional director Marilyn Sta. Catalina, DA Assis-tant Secretary and national rice program coordinator Dante Delima, Baguio City Mayor MauricioDomogan, Benguet Governor Nestor Fongwan, and Mt. Province Governor Leonard Mayaen.

DA -10 trains Bukidnon teachers on ‘Gulayan’ ’to raise vegetables, includingorganic fertilizers.

The training was conducted byJanen T. Paradero, DA-10 cropsdivision chief.

He said the participants are ex-pected to serve as focal personsof their respective schools, whowill in turn train train their fellowteachers and students.

He asked them to encouragetheir students to love agriculture,saying they should realize thatagriculture is profitable.

Aside from the training, theDA-10 provided each of the par-ticipating schools with gardentools and assorted vegetable

Secretary Alcala (2nd from left) assures Mindanao local chief ex-ecutives the DA will continuously provide technical, marketing andinfrastructure support to increase the productivity and incomes offarmers and fisherfolk, during the Mindanao cluster conferenceof the League of Municipalities of the Philippines (LMP), August29, 2012, in Cagayan de Oro City. He said the DA has asked theWorld Bank to extend for another two years the implementation ofthe Mindanao Rural Development Program (MRDP), and proposesto implement a Philippine Rural Development Program (PRDP)that will initially cover six regions (4A, 4B, 5, 6, 7 and 8) in Luzonand Visayas, and all six regions in Mindanao. He is shown receiv-ing a plaque of appreciation from LMP president Mayor DonatoMarcos of Paombong, Bulacan, as other LMP mayors look on.

Agriculture Assistant Secretary Allan Umali (middle, front row) poses with the participants of theSeminar-Workshop on the Accreditation Process of Cold Storage Warehouses for Agricultural andFisheries Products held in Tagaytay City, August 15 to 17, 2012. The activity familiarized the partici-pants from DA family agencies on certification guidelines and procedures to comply with the manda-tory accreditation of cold storage warehouses as per Administrative Order No. 21 Series of 2011.

The DA High Value Crops Devel-opment Program directorate helda four-day (Aug 29 - Sept 1) work-shop in Davao City to assess theproduction performance of prior-ity commodities and review of pro-gram implementation, led byHVCDP Director Jennifer E.Remoquillo (inset) and DA-RFUXI RTD for Operations Dir.Norlito P. Agduyeng. It was at-tended by about 80 participants,composed of HVCDP regional co-ordinators, report officers, re-gional planning officers, andHVCDP focal persons from DAbureaus, attached agencies, andDA-OSEC services.

nomic and Development Author-ity (NEDA) Technical Board, andthe NEDA Board, chaired byPresident Aquino.

Thereafter, it will be submitted

to the Wortd Bank for funding.The PRDP will be implementedfor six years from 2013 to 2019.(Sherwin B. Manual, DA-MRDP)

TRTA2, funded by the EU, Fili-pino fish exporters are now com-plying with fishery regulations inEU-member nations.

The initiative was crucial in im-proving the Philippines’ compli-ance with the global sanitary andphytosanitary (SPS) standards.

She said in 2004 the countrywas nearly delisted from the ac-credited fish exporters to EU,with only 24 companies from ahigh of 95 qualified to export theirproducts to European countries,

as they were the better ones thatcomplied with the SPS and EUfood safety standards.

“This gave the DA the chills asEU inspectors cited unsanitaryhandling conditions, dirty fishcontainers and inappropriatehandling of ice in unprotectedwork areas. These factors con-spired to reduce the chances ofPhilipine fish exporters to win abig slice of the EU market of 500million people,” Marges said.

She said the TRTA2 was alsoa valuable tool in training officialsand personnel of the DA’s Bu-reau of Fisheries and Aquatic Re-sources (BFAR) on SPS man-agement and control, and com-pliance with EU standards.

The support also led to a seri-ous examination of the SPS rulesand regulations, and policies onglobal food safety.

From 2008 to 2012, the num-ber of EU-approved establish-ments listed with BFAR rose from26 to 46, and the approved fish-ing and freezer vessels in-creased from 15 to 81.

BFAR-approved non-EU es-tablishments or indirect suppliersalso expanded from 18 to 32.

“More importantly, BFAR-ap-proved fishing vessels using icezoomed from zero to 300, andthe BFAR-approved pre-process-ing plants increased from zero to13. (PNA)

The DA through the Bureau ofAgricultural Statistics (BAS) willemploy a new agricultural datagathering system for livestockand poultry.

It is now piloted in DA-Region12, through its Regional Broilerand Swine Early Warning Sys-tem (BSI-EWS).

Nenita Yanson, BAS Livestockand Poultry Statistics Divisionchief, said the initiative is uponthe instruction of SecretaryAlcala.

The BSI-EWS was launchedon August 24 in Gen. SantosCity, led by DA 12 regional live-stock program coordinator Dr.John Pascual.

He said the main goal of theproject is to create common andaccurate data for swine andpoultry not only in Region 12, butalso in other regions.

He said the database shouldbe user-friendly for the apprecia-tion of the general public, re-searchers, stakeholders andpolicy makers.

During the project launch andmeeting, other DA officials alsoshared their inputs, among themwere: DA-BAS regional officerFelixberto Pacate; DA-NationalMeat Inspection Service regionaldirector Dario Canillas; and DARegion 12 provincial and cityveterinarians; representativesfrom DA attached agencies; andofficials from the National Eco-nomic Development AuthorityRegion 12.

During the open forum, provin-cial and city veterinary officersurged the DA regional office toprovide incentives to the agricul-tural technicians tasked to gatherdata for swine and poultry.(DA12, LMSalvo)

DA-BAS sets upnew data systemfor livestock

seeds like eggplant, okra,ampalaya, squash, pechay,saluyot, kulitis (amaranth), cow-pea, baguio beans and rosell.

Paradero urged the teachersto set aside at least 20% of theschool garden for seed produc-tion, which will serve as sourceof seeds for succeeding plantingseason. They can also shareexcess the vegetable seeds withtheir respective communities.

The DA will also teach themhow to engage in vermi-composting or production of‘vermi-cast’ which is used as or-ganic fertrilizer. Thus, they willalso receive ‘starter’ vermins orearthworms. (Vanessa MaeSiano, DA-RAFID 10)

5August 20128

DA to support agri-fishery micro-enterprises

Secretary Alcala (middle) cuts a ceremonial ribbon to inaugurate a P2.4-M grains warehouse of theAmucao Seed Growers Agro-Industrial Cooperative (ASGAIC), in Tarlac City, which devotes 150 hect-ares for rice seed production. The group also receive other DA assistance, consisting of rice trans-planter (inset), seed cleaner, modified flatbed dryer and multi-purpose drying pavement. Also shown(from left) are ASGAIC chairman Alfredo Castro, Tarlac 2nd District Representative Susan Yap-Sulit,DA region 3 director Andrew Villacorta, DA-Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mecha-nization director Rex Bingabing, and Tarlac provincial agriculturist Edwina Tabamo.

The Department of Agriculturein Bicol through its RegionalCrop Protection Center (RCPC)is all-out to contain and preventthe spread of a new rice pestcalled Rice Grain Bug (RGB)

RCPC chief Evangeline de laTrinidad said RGB, which ismore damaging than other ricebugs, was first discovered inDimasalang, Masbate, last year,and in Ragay, Camarines Sur,during summer this year.

She said the RGB is very ag-ile, and can easily evade chemi-cal spraying.

“They stay on the upper por-tion of rice plants even in intensesunlight and can also thread onwater or stay in stubbles,” De laTrinidad said.

The bugs are oval in shape,shiny and lay reddish browneggs, along the midrib of palayleaves. The young and adultbugs feed on palay grains at themilking stage.

High RGB populations arefound near woodlands, exten-sive weedy areas, wild grassesnear irrigation canals.

De la Trinidad said affectedpalay grains are discolored, un-filled and become infested withmolds.

The bugs could reduce palayyield by 40 to 80 percent, accord-ing to Ragay municipal agricul-tural technologist Teresita Bravo.

Bravo said a farmer in Ragaywhose half-hectare farm was in-fested only harvested 14 sacks,versus his previous output of 70sacks.

Worse, the palay grains wereonly half-filled, as when milled,only 10 to 12 kilos of rice wererecovered from each sack thatusually yields 25 to 30 kilos.

The Department of Agriculturewill support the establishment ofmicro-enterprises to transformsmall farmers and fisherfolk intoentrepreneurs.

Agriculture Secretary ProcesoJ. Alcala made the pitch duringthe 25th anniversary celebrationof the DA’s Bureau of AgriculturalResearch, and 8th agriculture andfisheries national technologycommercialization forum andproduct exhibition, August 9,2012, at SM megatrade hall,Mandaluyong City.

He instructed DA-BAR Direc-tor Nicomedes Eleazar to craft aprogram that will support the es-tablishment and operation of mi-cro-enterpises to empower farm-ers and fisherfolk to be market-oriented.

He urged DA agencies to setaside appropriate budget toimplement the microenterpriseprogram, that was suggested byformer agriculture secretary Dr.William D. Dar, who served asguest speaker at the BAR anni-versary.

Dr. Dar currently serves as di-rector general of the InternationalCrops Research Institute for theSemi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), inIndia.

Secretary Alcala said the BARand other DA family agenciesshould assist small farmers andfisherfolk to form initially into co-operatives so they can viably andprofitably engage in crop andfood production, processing ormarketing. Micro-enterprisesneed a capital ranging from P3

million up to P15 million.During the event, the DA chief

also commended the efforts ofthe BAR in successfully coordi-nating and prioritizing the con-duct of relevant researches bythe DA regional field units, bu-reaus and attached agencies,and partner state universities andcolleges (SUCs).

He directed BAR DirectorNicomedes Eleazar to keep himabreast of the latest R&D break-throughs and those already suc-cessfully commercialized.

He said small farmers andfisherfolk, and the poorest of thepoor should benefit from the tech-nologies developed by the DAfamily and SUCs.

He also thanked Dr. Dar forproviding continuous support par-ticularly in sharing ICRISAT-de-veloped crop varieties and tech-nologies to the Philippines andFilipino farmers, particularly mod-

DA-Bicol braces for rice grain bugMoreover, the rice grains were

cracked and tasted bitter due tomolds.

De la Trinidad said the reportswere properly documented toserve as basis of researches andstudies, and to find solutions tocontain the new rice bug.

She said the RCPC along with

the DA-RFU 5 led by DirectorJose Dayao and the Bureau ofPlant Industry (BPI) remain vigi-lant by employing mitigatingmeasures.

These included conduct ofRGB awareness and manage-ment seminar-workshops, par-ticipated in by farm technicians

Secretary Alcala (right) commend DA-BAR officials and staff, led by Dir. Nicomedes Eleazar, for suc-cessfully coordinating the conduct of needed researches and development of practical technologies forthe benefit of farmers and fisherfolk, rural entrepreneurs, during the agency’s 25th anniversary.

DA Assistant Secretary Dante Delima (standing atop, in white shirt) and DA Region 12 Director AmaliaJayag-Datukan (seated, in yellow shirt) experience how a rice combine harvester works at a farm inBarangay Rizal, Banga, South Cotabato. The machinery, worth P8.9 million, can harvest up to eighthectares a day, with only two to three persons operating it. It also features a large bin that can store upto 2,700 kilos. The rice combine harvester is among the machinery and equipment provided by the DAunder its rice farm mechanization program via counterparting agreement with farmers’ groups, irriga-tors’ associations, and local government units. Also shown are Banga Mayor Henry Ladot, other SouthCotabato local government officials, DA technical adviser Teresa Saniano, DA region 12 officials andstaff, and farmers in Barangay Rizal. (DA Region 12 Info Div, EAPasaol & LMSalvo)

and farmers from the six prov-inces and seven cities of Bicol.

They asked the participants topromptly report any sign of RGBbuild-up.

Municipal Agricultural Officeshave also been placed on alertand were instructed to closelymonitor rice fields, and submit aspecimen of pest they suspectas RGB. (PNA)

• agri-fisheries production data, demand & supply and price trends• alternative markets for your agricultural products• technologies that could improve your agricultural products and be competitive in the local and foreign markets• directory of buyers/sellers of agri products• better investment opportunities• market outlets/trading centers for agri-fishery products• market assistance and advisory services• farmers’ and fishers’ success stories

Visit AFMIS Website @ http://afmis.da.gov.phto get updated information on .....

The MDC is composed of Information Technology Center for Agriculture andFisheries (ITCAF); Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance Service (AMAS), Ag-riculture and Fisheries Information Service (AFIS), Bureau of Agricultural Sta-tistics (BAS); and National Agricultural and Fishery Council (NAFC).

Agriculture and Fisheries Market Information System (AFMIS) is a web-basedsystem that integrates various information resources of the Market Develop-ment Cluster (MDC) agencies into a single data base and application system. Itcaters to the needs of farmers/fisherfolk, traders, and other users of marketinformation.

The DA through the PhilippineCenter for Postharvest Develop-ment and Mechanization

PhilMech, DOST partner to preserve coco water’s quality

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(PhilMech) has signed an agree-ment with the Department of Sci-ence and Technology (DOST) todevelop a technique that wouldimprove the preservation andcollection of coconut water fromremote areas.

PhilMech director RexBingabing said the initiative ispart of a joint effort with the DA’sPhilippine Coconut Authority(PCA) to boost the productionand exports of quality, world-class coconut water.

“The fact that coconut waterrapidly deteriorates once ex-posed to air and warm tempera-tures, makes the sterilization pro-cess very expensive, especiallyfor small farmers and small com-panies,” Bingabing said.

He said the current technologyentails a sterilization process,which heats up the coco waterand destroys some of its nutri-ents as well as its distinct flavor.

To help preserve the naturaltaste and nutritional contents ofcoconut water, Bingabing saidthey are employing the technol

ogy called “Ohmic heating.”It employs uniform heating by al-lowing electricity to pass throughthe coconut water, killing thepathogens and microbes.

“We hope to develop a mobile-type Ohmic heating equipment,which can be used by small farm-ers, particularly those in remoteareas,” he said.

He said the ‘Ohmic’ technol-ogy no ‘patent issues,’ and thuscan be adopted by any inter-ested manufacturers for com-mercial production.

He said PhilMech will submita proposal to the PCA to fund theadoption, production and promo-tion of the Ohmic technology.

Secretary Alcala previously in-structed both agencies to de-velop an appropriate and effec-tive technology to help farmersfrom remote areas properly pre-serve the freshness and qualityof coconut water, on the way toprocessing plants.

He specifically directed themto also develop a portable or mo-

ern and high-yielding varieties ofsweet sorghum, peanut and soy-beans.

The ICRISAT-developed vari-eties have successfully adaptedin some parts of the country andare now grown commercially, un-der the coordination of the DA-BAR.

For his part, Dir. Eleazar under-scored the journey of DA-BAR asan agency and the role it playedin generating high-impact tech-nologies that are now being usedby thousands of farmers andfisherfolk to improve their lives.

Secretary Alcala also com-mended the efforts of the Inter-national Rice Research Institute(IRRI) for continuously develop-ing climate change-resilient ricevarieties like the ‘submarine-type’which can recover even after be-ing submerged in water for 14days. The variety is now beingpropagated in the country in part-

nership with the Philippine RiceResearch Institute (PhilRice).

He said the IRRI and PhilRiceare also collaborating to developand propagate drought- and salt-tolerant rice varieties.

The DA chief also commendedseveral scientists for their respec-tive research breakthroughs,namely: Dr. Cristeta Cueto ofAlbay Research Center onmacapuno; Dr. Aleli Paradison ofthe DA-Philippine Carabao Cen-ter for developing a rapid screen-ing method of an FMD virus; Dr.Marissa Romero of PhilRice, onextraction and characterization ofrice bran oil; and Dr. ErlindaPangat of UP Visayas, on tunaresearch.

The four-day event showcasedsome of the technologies fundedunder the DA-BAR’s NationalTechnology CommercializationProgram (NTCP), which havepaved the way to the establish-ment of livelihood and food mi-cro-enterprises.

The event also featured tech-nical and popular seminars and‘techno-demos,’ including farmproduction and value-adding live-lihood enterprises.

Among the seminar topicswere on sweet sorghum forbioethanol production, soybeanproduction, bee-keeping, nativechicken and pig production, bio-chemical genetic markers for on-ion variety identification, goat formeat production, and seaweedfarming.

Topics for the popular seminarsincluded ‘aqua-vermiponics,’transporting live fish without wa-ter, and innovative products fromchevon and mutton.

The event brought together9,000 visitors and exhibitors fromvarious agri-fishery industrystakeholderd. (Rita T. dela Cruz,DA-BAR; and Louie Asis, DA InfoService)

7 August 20126

A veterinarian by profes-sion, Dr. Richard Torno, ofFloridablanca, Pampanga,took a giant leap of faithwhen he decided to ventureinto the production ofcassava, locally known askamoteng kahoy orbalinghoy, some years back.

“It was partly by accident,”he said stressing thatembarking on a rootcropproduction project was nevera part of his master plan.

Although, his dad was along-time cassava farmer,the young Torno did notactually thought of actualfarm labor until a time camewhen nobody wanted toplant cassava.

“Nagkaroon ng problemanoon sa marketing at walangnagtanim, kaya naisip komagandang opportunity yunpara makuha ko yungmalaking merkado ngcassava pag gumanda naang presyo,” he narrates.(Nobody wanted to plantthen because of marketingissues, and so I thought thatit would be a good opportu-nity to penetrate the marketas soon as price picks up.)

Since his expertise wasfocused on animal science,Doc Richard spent long

Nutritional farming takes Pampanga vet to cassava success

Rice farmers in BarangaySampaguita, Veruela, Agusan delSur have turned to egg produc-tion to earn a regular income.

“Rice farmers here only knowtwo words: short or failure,” saidSamuel Viñan, member of theSampaguita Irrigators’ Associa-tion (SIA) referring to their usualyield in rice farming.

Viñan who owns a hectare anda caretaker of another five-hectare rice farms said ricefarming is not enough to meet thedaily needs of his family.

“We usually just have break-even and sometimes have verylow yield due to pests anddiseases incidence which couldnot even supply for our foodconsumption” he said.

The same situation holds truewith other irrigators associationsin the town. So they decided tolook for alternative income toaddress low productivity in ricefarming.

Their plan to have alternativelivelihood was realized when themunicipal agriculture officeendorsed their proposal to theMindanao Rural DevelopmentProgram (MRDP).

MRDP is a special projectunder the DA and jointly fundedby the World Bank, the nationaland local government units.

The program provides liveli-hood assistance to small farmers,rural women, and indigenoustribe through its Community Fundfor Agricultural Development(CFAD).

Although several suggestionscropped up on what livelihoodshould be implemented, the egg-laying production prevailedconsidering that there is a highdemand for fresh eggs in thelocal market.

“Local egg traders used tosourced out their stocks outsideVeruela without assurance of itsquality and safety. With this, theorganization thought of supplyingthe local market not only to earnmore but also to assure consum-ers of fresh and better quality ofegg products,” said agriculturetechnician Paterno Dayaday.

With the help of the DA officein Region 13, the associationavailed themselves of P250, 000funds from MRDP-CFAD tostartup egg production project.The amount was used to pur-chase layer stocks, feeds, andbiologics including constructionof poultry cages.

Since the success of egg-production business depends oneffective management of layerfarm, the municipal agricultureoffice conducted a hands-ontraining to better equip theassociation in handling theirlivelihood.

By Adora Rodriguezhours everyday researching andlearning the basics of cassavaplanting, from production to itsagro-economic components.

After consulting the experts, hewas convinced that producingcassava, both as industrial andfood crop, is highly profitable.

Utilizing his family’s four-hectare farm, the vet started hisnew agri-project, following ascheme of his own. Instead ofplanting from September–February, he planted in June. Tenmonths later, he harvested a totalof 240 tons of cassava from theentire farm.

Harvesting at a time when thesupply was low, he cornered theoff-season farm gate price offresh cassava. Hence, he earneda substantial income which heused to expand his productionarea, which now totals to 100hectares and buy a second-handtractor.

Unlike other profit-drivenentrepreneurs, Doc Richarddidn’t want success just forhimself and so he made it hispersonal advocate to not onlychampion in cassava productionbut help Kapampanganfarmersprosper from it as well.

And he started by righting thewrongs.

Based from what he observedfrom visiting cassava plantations

in Thailand , he figured thatmost of the country’s farmlandswere not producing well due tolost nutrients as a consequenceof over-farming.

“We need to go back tonutritional farming, because weneed to bring back the lostnutrients of the soil to repair thedamage,” he said.

The technique requires theuse of chromite, manganite,volcanic ash and other naturalminerals to restore the soil’scondition. Thus, the young vet isthankful that Pampanga iscovered with volcanic ash-fertilized soil

“Pagkatapos ng maramingtaon, malaking tulong din palasa amin ang pagputok ngPinatubo—gumanda ang textureng lupa dito,” he said. (After allthese years, the eruption of Mt.Pinatubo has helped us bringthe good texture of the soil.)

He plants at a distance of 1x1meter with a plant density of10,000 hills per hectare. Heregularly applies phosphorousfor root development andpotassium for tuber formation aswell as 5 bags of 14-14-14, abag of urea and two bags of 0-0-60.

“Eventually, we will shift intoorganic farming,” he said.

When San Miguel Food Inc.

Egg production providesthe crack for better income

By Noel T. Provido

“We brought the SIA memberto a poultry farm in the adjacenttown of Sta. Josefa where theywere exposed to poultry manage-ment from feeding, diseaseprevention and control, harvest-ing and storing including recordkeeping and marketing,” headded.

Viñan learned that his role asthe caretaker of the poultry farmis crucial in ensuring healthy andproductive stocks. He alsolearned that right from the start,layer stocks must be of goodquality.

“We feed our layers three timesa day and provide them vitaminsand necessary antibiotics throughthe assistance of the municipaland provincial agriculture techni-cians,” he said.

Layers must be kept healthy tobe prolific and provide bestquality eggs. Viñan said he isrestricting the number of personsentering the layer farm to avoiddisease contamination.

“My son acts as my reliever incase I have fever or colds so wecan keep our layers healthy,” hesaid.

Their efforts eventually paid offas their layer farm now yields atleast 263 – 270 eggs per day.

“We are selling the large sizedeggs at P140 per tray [or 30pieces] and P130 for mediumsized eggs,” he said.

As caretaker of the projectViñan gets 10 percent of theirassociation’s income which giveshim at least P3,000 – P4,000monthly income which is a bighelp for him to meet his family’sneeds.

“Before I can hardly pay thetuition fee of my children even if

the school year is about to end.Now, they are fully paid as earlyas enrollment time,” he beamswith pride.

He said other members arealso reaping benefits from theprojects such as meeting theirdaily consumption while somehas even improved their housesand bought

appliances like television setas well as motorcycle.

We are glad that through theassistance of MRDP, DA regionaloffice, and the provincial andlocal governments we were giventhe chance to improve theirincome,” he said.

Francisco Joseph, one of theboard of trustees of the town’scouncil of irrigators’ associationsaid they are planning to makeuse of the poultry waste throughvermicomposting so that they canalso produce organic fertilizer fortheir rice farms.

“We are also exploringways to formulate organicfeeds to minimize operatingexpenses. Once the associa-tion can pay back the amountthey have accessed fromMRDP-CFAD we will extendthe same financial assis-tance to other irrigators’association in the town,” hesaid.

MRDP program directorLealyn Ramos said theinitiative of SIA has proventhat farmers can have goodeconomic returns if theywould try to diversify farmproduction.

“Farmers should not bedependent on one commod-ity to overcome low produc-tivity. The case of ricefarmers in Veruela hadproven that they can alsohandle egg-production andscale-up their meagerincome,” she said.

Samuel Viñan shows off eggsproduced by their association’slayer farm, which produces atleast 270 eggs a day.As a caretaker, he earnsup to P4, 000 a month.(Photo by Sherwin B. Manual)

Samuel collects the eggs, whileFrancisco Joseph jots down the

the daily egg collection.(Photo by Sherwin B. Manual)

opened in Mariveles, Bataansome years back, it presented aguaranteed market for thecassava farmers. With a pur-chase contract for 1,000 tons ofdried cassava per year, DocRichard entered into a leaseagreement with farmers—heprovided financial assistance,and in return the farmers arerequired to produce a minimumyield of 60 tons/hectare. Heshares the net income with themon a fifty-fifty basis.

“If a farmer can harvest at least60 tons per hectare, they caneasily earn a net income of atleast P130,000 to P150,000,” hesaid.

Seventy percent of the invest-ment is intended for industrialpurposes particularly for livestockfeeds while the remaining 30% isintended for food demands of thelocal market.

Twenty one years after the oneof the most destructive volcaniceruptions the country has everseen, farmers are earning goodincome from top quality cassavaharvested in their enriched soil.Thanks to a veterinarian whotook a turn and shared what heknows and what he has to therest of the community, and theonce ash-covered soil ofPampanga.

Dr. Richard Torno with his 4-wheel tractorand farm workers at his cassava farm.