AGRICULTURE: Rise and Race

Philippines have been blessed with different kinds of bodies of water, lands that are lush and fertile, and a climate that is favorable in growing various kinds of high valued crops and raising livestock, poultry and other farm animals. But due to economic industrialization, this industry has been challenged. Our priorities have changed almost forgetting our fundamental need for survival. Agriculture is dying. This is a sad reality of the country.

Even if the Philippines is primarily an agricultural country, we have not done anything to ‘cultivate’ this sector. In the sixties, we were ahead in Asia. Students from different countries came here to study agriculture and its technology. But what happened? They are now better than us. Somehow, we lost in the race. Agriculture plays an important role in the country’s economy but many of our agricultural schools today are just producing office-oriented workers who would much rather do paper work than help improve the agricultural sector of the country. Moreover, our farmers lack support, training and a moral boost. First, they lack basic skills in farming. Many are not educated or are only elementary graduates. Second, good fertilizers, pesticides and seeds are imported from other countries, making them very expensive and unaffordable for the lowly farmer. Third, the government has not developed a good infrastructure for. Fourth, most of our farmers do not own the land they till. They cannot maximize the use of the land that results in low income. And since they are just tenants, some landowners require a 50-50 share of the product, thus leaving only half of the produce to the farmers. Fifth, farmers have difficulty in financing their farming endeavors due to the high rates of borrowing institutions. And when harvest time arrives, the money from the sale is only enough to pay their debts and nothing is left for them. Sixth, farmers lack protection from the middlemen who take advantage of their weaknesses. The middlemen buy their products at a very low cost and the Department of Agriculture always seems to be turning a blind eye on these culprits. The agriculture industry has not progressed in ages. In lined with this, many agricultural lands are being developed into industrial areas, shopping malls and subdivisions. Plus, the inevitable fact that our farmers are growing old and their children are shifting into other careers. This is very unlikely compared to many countries who prioritize and give more importance to agriculture.

We are already in the 21st Century, where the advancement of technologies made life easier and better. As an agricultural country we must adapt to the modern farming and agricultural operations that works far differently than those a few decades ago. Agricultural technology including sensors, devices, machines, and information technology are just examples of machines that has been utilized to upgrade land cultivation. Also, today’s agriculture routinely uses sophisticated technologies such as robots, temperature and moisture sensors, aerial images, and GPS technology. These advanced devices and precision agriculture and robotic systems allow businesses to be more profitable, efficient, safer, and more environmentally friendly.

Agricultural technology is important and beneficial to help the Farmers work be simpler than usual.  With the aid of the modernized machines, farmers no longer have to apply water, fertilizers, and pesticides uniformly across entire fields. Instead, they can use the minimum quantities required and target very specific areas, or even treat individual plants differently. Higher crop productivity, decreased use of water, fertilizer, and pesticides, which in turn keeps food prices down, reduced impact on natural ecosystems, less runoff of chemicals into rivers and groundwater, and increased worker safety are just some of the benefits from utilizing modern farm technologies. But is this even possible if our country gives less value in Agriculture? Probably not.

I believe that the only way to be successful is to lift yourself and develop what you have. Agriculture is our main wealth, and we should cultivate this sector because this is what we’re rich of. What we need to do is to rise and continue that gift of farming that we’ve learned from our ancestors. I think that we must start with cleaning the terrorize minds of the youth that agriculture is someone must not get as a job. Let’s stop the toxic mindset about agriculture and fisheries. This is 21st century and all employment play a significant role in the formation of a good society. Agriculture like anything else have changed as well, “magtanim ay di biro, maghapong nakaupo” sitting all day in the midst of broad daylight is no longer true. Through the use of modern technologies in agriculture, farming is now made easier.

As an Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering student of Bicol University College of Agriculture and Forestry I’ve realized that if only our government gives more value in the agricultural sector, Philippines could be a wealthy country as well, since we are primarily an agricultural country that is blessed with many resources. In order to win the race of ignorance about the beauty and endeavors in agriculture, support from the government in agriculture is what our country truly needs.

Let us not allow agriculture to reach its death since it constitutes the foundation of food security. As such, it is imperative that all concerned bodies work together, innovate continuously, collaborate in research and development to meet future challenges in agriculture. In lined with this, we must also value our farmers as much as we value food. The welfare of farmers should be kept in mind when implementing agriculture programs and projects meanwhile they are, after all, the country's main food producers. What’s more important is that we increase and diversify the income of farmers. Their income is very small and definitely makes it hard for a farming family to make ends meet. Being a country with rice as a staple, we cannot afford to lose our farmers. Their unproductivity can lead to a problem of food insecurity.

There will really be hungry people if the agricultural sector is weak. So, rise and race to acquire the greatest agricultural country that we could ever be. We are Filipinos known for our helpfulness and generosity so let’s fight this battle for agriculture and forestry and kill hunger with the aid of modern farm technology.

I hope this article will help you see agriculture in a more advance way.

I would like to thank the people who inspires me to keep on writing here in @Read.Cash , @OverThinker and @Yayaya13 .

Also to my sponsor @dexter for the support.

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