THE PROSPECT of famine is real. We do not want to sound unduly alarmist but crops could fail because of the erratic weather. The looming El NiƱo would be bringing a long dry spell. Less water, or no water at all, would mean less or no agricultural production.
As early as a decade ago, the international advocacy group Oxfam predicted that yield in rice-producing countries like the Philippines will drop by 10 percent for every one-degree Celsius rise in temperature. Aside from rice, it said corn production will also suffer. Corn is an alternative to rice in poor provinces, particularly in the Visayas and Mindanao.
Foreign governments encourage their farmers by subsidizing production of certain crops. In contrast, Filipino farmers are left to their own devices. Forced to buy fertilizers and other farm inputs at excessive prices, they produce crops at a much higher cost. And so officials cite the high prices of locally produced rice to justify the need to buy from abroad.
Oxfam predicted that the countryās rice production will drop by 50 to 70 percent. This will definitely impact on the Filipinos, particularly the poor. Among the vulnerable sectors, rice farmers who have long been complaining of extreme hunger despite the fact that they are the ones producing the staple food for the Filipinos, will be the hardest hit.
We should act with dispatch. The government policy on agriculture must be reviewed and revamped to help farmers and avert food disaster. It should step up programs that will not only help increase food production but also fight global warming and climate change. For instance, organic farming does not only benefit farmers in terms of increased income, but promotes better health and environmental sustainability as it veers away from excessive use of often harmful chemical fertilizers long been blamed for polluting the soil, water and air.
We tend to think that famine occurred only in biblical times, but we could suffer widespread hunger, thanks to past administrations that put agriculture at the bottom of their priorities. The country has fertile farmlands and free-flowing rivers for irrigation, but we failed to exploit these rich natural resources to ensure food security. Unacceptable.
