The government should nurture agriculture and pay more attention to the plight of farmers.
This was aired by inventor and entomologist Gonzalo Catan, Jr., Executive Vice President of Mapecon Green Charcoal Philippines (MGCP), noting that published World Bank report showed that in the next 10 years food security will be the world’s biggest problem, that “the world is nearing a dangerous point where soaring prices will create economic Instability.” MGCP is the principal exponent of the production of cheap, safe to use vermicast organic fertilizer now widely used by farmers.
Catan said agriculture can play an important role in staving off that crisis. But for it to play that role, he added, the government must remove its bias against the industry. Agriculture is a vital coy in the economy. It compromises one-fifty of the country’s domestic products and provides livelihood to more that 40 percent of the population.
The government, Catan added, must provide agri-infrastracture such as farm to market roads for speedy access to markets, warehouse facilities for products, and a reliable irrigation system. More importantly, farmers must be assured of fruitful return for their back-breaking work.