Ilocos Norte Beams It Has Enough Food

June 8, 2020 Provincial

PAOAY ILOCOS NORTE – Ilocos Norte is self-sufficient in rice and other high-value crops (HVC), despite the COVID-19 pandemic and the coming rainy season, the province’s Sustainable Development Center head Edwin Cariño vows.
“We are 283% self-sufficient in terms of rice while in vegetables we are almost self-sufficient. Masasabi natin na wala tayong masyadong problema sa food security.”
SDC’s calculation pegs Ilocos Norte has still five month-worth of rice supply. The SDC and the Office of the Provincial Agriculture have also devised a program to maintain food security in the current situation of the province.
“Dahil sa COVID-19 pandemic at mga paparating na bagyo, naghanda ang Provincial Government nang pamimigay ng hybrid at inbred rice seedlings para sa 3,000 hectares [farmlands] dito sa probinsya.
Ang package na ito ay may kasama ng humus at fertilizer,” Cariño says. Around 5,000 “early planters” are recipients of the rice seedlings package.
Cariño adds, “kung makakaani tayo ng palay in about three to four months, at least madadagdagan ang food security dito sa probinsya.
Ang proyekto na ito ay para sa mga early planters. Kung magtatanim sila ngayong June, mag-aani sila sa September.”
The SDC and OPAg have also collaborated in the distribution of HVC vegetable seeds to various farmers associations around the province to take advantage of the increased plant-based consumption of the public amidst the pandemic.
“Ang priority natin ay ang matulungan ang mga magsasaka na magkaroon ng alternative produce aside from palay. Itong HVC ang pinakamadaling
anihin at pagkakitaan.”
The vegetable package includes HVC seeds, fertilizer, hose, and water pump. Cariño further hinted that Governor Manotoc and Senator Imee Marcos are eyeing to provide vegetable and other food items in the Kadiwa Express Program in the National Capital Region.
Artemio A. Dumlao/ABN