Department of Agriculture (DA) Secretary Proceso Alcala said while many of his former colleagues at the House of Representatives doubt rice self-sufficiency could be achieved in three years, he asked them to give him one year to produce results.

Alcala, who was invited to the weekly meeting of the minority at the House last Monday, said many congressmen asked him why he came out with statements that rice self-sufficiency could be achieved in three years when the previous administration failed to do it in nine years.

“Many of my former colleagues asked me why I thought that rice self-sufficiency could be done in three years. So I told them, give me one year and then if you could find no improvements you can dun me for my promises,” Alcala said in an interview.

Alcala said the previous administration “didn't really come up with a rice self-sufficiency program” because the importation of rice had become prone to corruption.

For 2010, the Philippines requires 11 MMT of rice, of which 8.92 MMT is sourced locally, while the remaining 2.08 MMT would have to be imported.

Alcala said that by 2013, the Philippines would already be producing the 12.3 MMT of rice needed to feed the entire country.

Alcala said that he presented the members of the minority his program to achieve rice self-sufficiency, which includes addressing both the supply and demand side of rice consumption in our country, now pegged at 11 million metric tons (MMT) per year.

On the supply side, Alcala said the DA will increase the percentage of farmers who use certified seeds from the current 20 percent to 45 percent.

As of now, only 10 percent of farmers use hybrid seeds which require more inputs but also yield more palay. Only 20 percent of farmers use certified seeds, and the rest of the 70 percent of farmers use "not so good" seeds, according to Alcala.

Aside from distributing better seeds to farmers, Alcala said the DA will irrigate an additional 1.5 million hectares out of the 3.13 million potential irrigation area in the country. The plan to irrigate the additional 1.5 million hectares will cost R93.54 billion, but will yield 55 percent of the 3.3 MMT more of rice needed to achieve rice self-sufficiency by 2013.