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Pangilinan pushes for national soil testing program to solve rice crisis
Pangilinan pushes for national soil testing program to solve rice crisis
At A Glance
- A national soil testing program would help solve the Philippine's rice crisis and ensure long-term food security in light of the rising prices of rice, reduced farm productivity and increasing pressure on domestic supply, Sen. Francis "Kiko" Pangilinan said.
A national soil testing program would help solve the Philippine’s rice crisis and ensure long-term food security in light of the rising prices of rice, reduced farm productivity and increasing pressure on domestic supply, Sen. Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan said.
The senator made the remark while in Agusan del Sur on Friday, December 5, to deliver a keynote address at the World Soil Day Forum at the Gov. D.O. Plaza, Govt Center in Prosperidad.
As chairman of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Food and Agrarian Reform, Pangilinan said a scientific, data-driven interventions, such as national soil testing, that would help increase crop yields, are urgently needed.
The senator said he believes widespread soil degradation—largely unaddressed in many agricultural regions—is a key factor behind declining yields.
“Right now, our rice sufficiency is 77 percent, so 23 percent is imported. Why? Because the supply is insufficient. When soil health is good, our rice yield, from about four tons per average, can reach six tons per hectare,” Pangilinan said.
“That means more than 30 percent increase. We have 23 percent rice shortage. If we increase our yield by almost 30 percent, our problem with importing will be greatly reduced. So, better yields because of proper soil health and soil management,” the senator explained.
During his visit, Pangilinan lauded Agusan del Sur 2nd District Rep. Eddiebong Plaza for the initiative to bring soil testing and information systems in the country, and pointed out that it is high time to expand the program to more provinces.
“This initiative by Rep. Eddiebong Plaza on the issue of soil health, soil management strategy, on the issue of agriculture is very important,” Pangilinan said.
“And as your Senate committee agriculture chairperson, I am honored to travel here to cooperate and to find out what else we can do in the Senate to help our agricultural sector on the issue of soil management,” the senator said.
Pangilinan said he hopes more provinces will begin their own soil testing programs in the next two years, noting the “opportune time” to do so because agriculture is a top agenda item of the current Marcos administration.