“If agriculture goes wrong, nothing else will have a chance to go right.” – M.S. Swaminathan
The political landscape of Philippine agriculture can be considered multi-dimensional, if not double-edged, evolving but at the same time impedes its progress. More pronounced among government agencies is the power struggle involving major challenges and issues such as agrarian reform and other major agricultural programs yet there are corruption allegations hindering development, especially of the small farmers and agrarian reform beneficiaries.
Moreover, the worsening challenges brought about by climate and environmental risks have impacted so immensely the sector – El Niño, La Niña, ASF and other climate change effects have been hitting us in more surprising and unpredictable circumstances. This in turn had negative impacts on every major crop’s supply chain, especially productivity, resulting in more challenges on supply and demand. As this viciously continues we recognize efforts to address them towards improvement and modernization. It is really hoped that these efforts are aimed at long term productivity and improving the economy in general.
CHALLENGES AT HAND
As enumerated by the government, there are crucial and more pressing problems that need to be addressed. Our competitiveness suffers because almost 80% of our farm size or production areas in agriculture are less than 3 hectares, as far as ownership in relation to productivity is concerned. Obviously this can be attributed to the agrarian reform program. From the productivity and economic perspectives, the shrink in size is due to the seemingly exponential population growth. This results in land conversion especially the countryside where production areas are now converted to residential uses sacrificing agricultural growth. Evidently, agricultural lands are being encroached by housing and industrial sectors.
Irrigation and water are two inseparable and important factors in agriculture. The current irrigation system is a major problem because it is inefficient, and farmers need to eat and get hydrated to undertake farming activities. Another dilemma is the continuing reduction of farm labor due to the inevitable industrialization in some major agricultural areas of the country. While industrialization of rural areas is an essential component of industrialization, the fair and equal redistribution of its benefit is suspect. Those who have been toiling in the farm lose their jobs, yet they are not given alternatives for livelihood. This also puts at risk the program for food security as it now becomes an issue of affordability and accessibility.
Moreover, the Filipino farmers’ average age has now become lower, proportionally decreasing their numbers where they are locked in the confines of survival rather than viability. The surviving and struggling Filipino farming workforce consequently suffer from expensive and sometimes inappropriate farm equipment. They do not have enough resources or lack the access to credit to acquire adequate and appropriate machinery and equipment.
Finally, the erratic and unpredictable impact of climate change results in unprepared responses against natural disasters. The agriculture department and NEDA including integral agencies must initiate proactive measures and immediately advise the Chief Executive so that resource allocation can be prioritized on top of everything. Technical preparedness of actors and stakeholders must design a pro-active if not, comprehensive plan in order to mitigate impacts. Ideally, LGUS fill the gaps by providing additional assistance such as immediate relief goods, seeds, training among others when devastating calamities hit and not entirely depend on national counterparts. However, even LGUs in their practical circumstances face the same challenge. Unfortunately, a well-equipped LGU and its sustainable support including strengthening its capacities remains a tall order.
GREAT PLANS LESS ACTION
In hindsight, agriculture plans and programs are well designed and what hinders are clearly the political will or the absence of it. While there may be enough resources to address immediate and long term agriculture concerns, but the callousness of politics and power play dooms the sector’s hope for competitiveness and modernization.
I am reminded of the skeptics’ utterance – “where there is calamity and disaster, unethical practices of corruption and political patronage briskly thrive.” The pandemic was hounded by alleged corruption in Philhealth and the Pharmally and SAP scandals. Not to be outdone, more than a year ago the agriculture department itself was accused of “legal smuggling.”*
