Mr Corn Farmer, Have You Found Your Super Friends Yet? They’re Close To You!

“’Briefing And Consultation On FAW’ Kicks Off In The Town With Sweetest Banana In Asia[1],” the news said from the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Agrarian Reform of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao, BARMM (Facebook post). FAW is the fall army worm that attacks corn disastrously. There were almost 50 farmers from barangays of the town of Amai Manabilang, Lanao del Sur who attended 23-24 June 2020, in Barangay Punud. The farmers were members of either the Land Owners Producers Cooperative, Punud Bumbaran Agriculture Cooperative, or Ranao Ibaning Indigenous People’s Association. Yes Sir, Cooperative is the name of the Game! (image of 3 friends from Friends Group[2])

But ANN (Author Not Named) mixed sour corn news with sweet banana news in Amai Manabilang – and, later in the text, mentioned the farmers’ expressed request for a farm-to-market road, FMR. I see that this is really a mixed-up report that does not try to empathize with the farmers’ problems except to report them all.

Mixed signals is typical of PH journalism –
no wonder audiences suffer from astigmatism!

First, the occasion was a briefing on corn farming and the worm. The lecture included “in-depth lecture(s) on corn production technologies, land preparation, water management, integrated fertilizer and pest management, harvesting, and marketing.”

As an agriculturist, I note from all of the above that the lecture on corn production was complete. Now, why the emphasis on the FAW when its population was supposed to be controlled by pest management, never reaching the level of infestation? That suggests the lecturer somehow was in favor of chemical control of the FAW!

Second, ANN said that the proper identification of the FAW was “aimed at empowering the farmers” just in case their corn was infested by those worms. It would have been more value-adding to hear the lecturer point out what practices could be resorted to by the farmers in order to prevent the FAW from increasing its population to the level of infestation. I know that these practices include trap cropping, multiple cropping, and intercropping.

Third, what about the FMR? The farmers said they needed it because of “the difficult and costly transportation of their products.” That is like saying the FMR will solve their problems in transportation and marketing!

No Sir! Instead, the corn farmers need to be educated and
empowered to be their own entrepreneurs!

And I recommend, as I have been recommending since 2014, that trainings and assistances be carried out by a Super Coop to which farmers are members. Assisted by the Department of Agriculture, and private investors, the Super Coop will manage the affairs of the members from production to marketing, taking care of inputs, loans, tools & equipment, harvesting, drying, warehousing when necessary, up to marketing. To banish the need for 5-6 loans by farmers, the Super Coop will offer farmer-friendly loans of any amount any time for any purpose, with the expected or actual harvest as collateral.

The Super Coop is the Super Friends farmers never had!@517

 


[1]https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=735327293960765&id=424450148381816`
[2]https://www.dreamstime.com/photos-images/friends-group-icon.html


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Knorr Of Big Business Unilever Thinks Big Business Regenerative Agriculture – My Tiny Country PH Also Should!

Image
“Knorr’s plan for 50 regenerative agriculture projects is predicted to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and water use by an estimated 30% while improving biodiversity, soil health and livelihoods.” That is regenerative agriculture (RA) news by Julian Cirineo (05 Nov 2021, “Unilever Wants To Rethink How Farms Work To Secure Food And Resources For The Future,” Rappler , rappler.com ). Note: 50 (not 5 only) RA projects to improve greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) and water use by 30% – plus improving biodiversity, soil health and livelihoods. Note the last 7 words in the above paragraph. How can RA improve biodiversity? RA requires that the farmer practices multiculture (a few or many crops grown at the same time in the same place), where monoculture (such as rice-only or corn-only) is the practice – the biodiversity improves crop health because of the ensuing balance of nature, such as some organisms feed on other organisms that would otherwise become pests or cause diseases. RA is your
Read more

In Looking At The Crown Of Thorns, I Found The Clowns

Image
We could use a surprise sense of humor!  Yes, especially on the wide problematic fields of Agriculture. There was this news that some high PH government officials wanted to probe Vice President Leni Robredo for “competing against” PH agencies in providing much-needed assistances during this coronavirus lockdown, and Marigs Laririt shared a picture-story on Facebook quoting Ms Leni as saying, “I didn’t know it was competition. I didn’t see any competitors!” Ms Marigs says, “Ay, parang friends ko kung sumagot si Mam.” (Ay, with Mam, it’s just like my friends answering back.) That is a two-handed backslap, and you can imagine the lady laughing! She is the humor-monger; they are the clowns. Today is Friday, 03 April 2020 and in one account ( Wikipedia ), Friday the 3 rd of April was crucifixion of Jesus and his crowning of thorns [1] . (images: Crown of Thorns [2]  from St Anthony Messenger , 1 st clown [3]  from The Guardian , 2 nd clown [4]  from Shutterstock ) About the living clowns I
Read more

“Natural Farming” – Aggie Journalists, We Must Be Careful With The Terms We Use!

Image
Look at the contrasting images: Which one is correct in claiming what is being practiced is “natural farming”? Top Image: This one accompanies the Anonymous WWF-Philippines story, “Mindanao Farmers Start Off the Year with Natural Farming Systems Technology” published online December 2019 [1] . The World Wide Fund, WWF, is a very credible international source of knowledge on conservation, right? Not this time. Very clearly, you can see the white plastic mulch covering the furrows and bare soil in-between them. Mr or Ms Anonymous, the plastic mulch is not natural. The soil not covered in-between furrows is not natural. So much soil bare, not natural, allowing so much natural water wasted because it had evaporated from the unprotected, hot soil surface! That is not conservation; that is not natural. The term “natural” is used here very carelessly . Aggie journalists, wake up! How come I noticed all that immediately when I saw the photograph? Because I learned my organic farming more t
Read more