The renewed interest of many Filipinos in planting or agriculture bodes well for a government that is banking on the sector’s resurgence to help the economy stay afloat. The lockdown gave rise to a new breed of planters—called plantitos and plantitas—who made good use of their small gardens. But lack of space did not prevent city dwellers from practicing container gardening by using recycled plastic containers, including plastic soda bottles. This development has been a boon for a number of industries, including those selling seeds and farm implement.
The Department of Agriculture’s urban agriculture push has certainly encouraged city residents to take up planting. The agency intensified its promotion of urban agriculture during the enhanced community quarantine period, when lockdown restrictions made it difficult for farmers to deliver fresh produce to urban areas. Some fresh food items were unavailable to consumers because farmers were unable to bring their products to the cities.
There has never been a better time to become a farmer or to go into agriculture, as food is fast becoming a precious commodity. Gone are the days when resources are plentiful and food was cheap. Climate change and its impact on agriculture and our shrinking natural resources are making food more expensive to produce.
For farmers to truly benefit from the renewed interest in agriculture, the chief of the Cold Chain Association of the Philippines said production should be driven by demand to avoid food waste. Because the impact of Covid-19 on food security is seen lingering for years, there is a need to prevent food waste, particularly since the country also continues to grapple with animal diseases that threaten supply. Food waste can be prevented if there is data that will guide farmers on what varieties or crops to plant (See, “Plantdemic,” in the BusinessMirror, September 5, 2020).
The government should reach out to the private sector, which has enough resources to help the state collect data. Certainly, a database that would also help them make the right business decisions would be a welcome initiative. There is also no need to reinvent the wheel as there are existing models that the Philippines can use as inspiration, such as the database created by the United States Department of Agriculture.
Prior to the pandemic, farmers plant “profitable” crops sans guidance on whether there are buyers for their produce. This results in the oversupply of some commodities, which can be disastrous for planters because the excess inventory would depress prices. With activities limited in many parts of the country that remain under varying degrees of lockdown, the government should intensify efforts to gather data on demand and supply.
The national government can work with local government units in gathering data on food demand and supply. The Philippines cannot plan for the future if our leaders continue to rely on gut feel when it comes to our food supply. A reliable database, one that will help improve the income of farmers and expand consumers’ access to affordable food, is a great legacy that this administration can leave behind.