"A fixation for agricultural research
is a fixation for agricultural development"
(Or "all after a Senator dismissing a better budget on agricultural research as fixation")
It seems that Senator Cynthia Villar hath becoming an object for shitstorm especially after her response on the need for a higher budget on research as but a "fixation".
For she, acting as chairman of the Senate agriculture, food, and agrarian reform committee, hit the Department of Agriculture for allocating a big chunk of its proposed 2020 budget on research for the National Corn Program instead of offering direct assistance to farmers.
Prior to that slamming the Department of Agriculture wishes to allocate ₱150 million of the ₱1.2 billion proposed budget to research for the corn program.
However, this request turned down by Villar herself, being the chairman of that committee on agriculture and food, she described such a request as a fixation, as she saith:
"Why does it seem like all of your budget goes to research? You're so fixated on research, what are you going to do with it? I'm smart, but I don't understand your research, what more the farmers? Do they want you to conduct research? Don't you think they want your help instead?"
For sure Villar was trying to act like a populist especially in wanting a direct support for the farmers. In her chiding towards the DA officials would say that she may hath claimed that they were irresponsible in handling the budget if not not prioritising the immediate needs of the farmers. Also during that said proceeding she interrogated DA officials on why the proposed reserve fund for the National Corn Program as higher than the allocation for seedling distribution.- for under the proposed 2020 budget, the budget for seed reserve is ₱218 million, while the distribution is at ₱31 million, with its reserves be provided to farmers during calamities.
This idea was put forward by Agriculture Undersecretary Ariel Cayanan, who explained that five percent of production should be set aside as buffer stock, and he also said that the department will also provide assistance to farmers in the form of seeds and fertilizers.
But as for Villar, still acting like a populist, said that farmers need more direct assistance. She asked the department to revise its proposed budget.
"If I'm a farmer, I'd prefer receiving seeds and machinery, instead of those research. Our farmers are poor because we don't give them enough." Villar said.
***
The proceedings, particularly those of Villar's statement was itself a target for jokes. That by describing the need for research as a fixation, some Filipinos were not too happy, if not dismissed as a joke with her remarks, claiming that research is just as important in agriculture development.
According to an article on Interaksyon, a Twitter user, concerning about the need for improving agriculture, stresses the importance of agricultural research, for: “...gives us more insight on what we can improve in agriculture so we can help farmers cultivate their crops better and yield more during their harvests,” Furthermore, a statement from Gideon Lasco, who, in response to Villar's words, recalled a conversation he had with a Vietnamese scientist the importance of research in their rice production, which is seconded after agrarian reform.
His Twitter post did also slammed Villar's statement as well, as he said:
"If Cynthia Villar cannot appreciate the role of research in agriculture, she has no business chairing the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Food."
Pardon if that streneous work and a need for a much deserved budget be dismissed as a fixation. For knowing that as chairwoman on Committee for Agriculture and Food she assumed that she expressed concern about the need for machinery and supplies than those of research- or perhaps, thinking that farming is nothing but plow, till, wait, and harvest; but come to think that in a country where agriculture as trying to put importance, then there's a need for using scientific means, such as research in improving both substenance and cash crops.
For instance, Ricardo Lantican, along with his team, did a study that looked into how a fungal disease called southern corn leaf blight hath affected crops in the cornfield of the University of the Philippines-Los Baños. Because of that discovery, along with the need for hybridisation of crops for pest resistance and the likes, Lantican became an internationally-recognized pioneer in plant breeding.
And when the Department of Science and Technology featured him on its Facebook page, it stressed the importance of scientific research in attaining significant development.
“That’s the value of research,” the agency said with a winking emoji.
***
Citing Lantican's example as well as those of others concerned would say that Villar should check her words that appearth to be dismissive. Perhaps she tried to express her concern about a bigger budget while neglecting some important matters concerning agriculture.
In a country where agriculture is trying to gain importance would say that the need for scientific developments creates an immense help in addressing problems such as the need for pest resistance, bountiful harvest, soil health, and the likes that would say supports the long term agenda for self sufficiency and of food security.
Otherwise, given Villar's position as head of Senate Committee in Agriculture and Food, is she really after the lands of the poor peasants for her subdivisions? The Ramos estate in Cavite for instance, it continues to be struggled by the peasants who tilled that arable soil for decades despite attempts by real estate developers to grab it. Or how about supporting the interests of multinational food conglomerates and traders than those of small farmers and cooperatives? For sure that by using the Rice Tarrification Law and other "reform bills" for an alibi, Villar and others would hath expressed that domestic self sufficiency as not enough- and that by letting traders and big agri conglomerates dominate, there is no need for the government to intervene and thus letting the market to resolve it.
Otherwise, given Villar's position as head of Senate Committee in Agriculture and Food, is she really after the lands of the poor peasants for her subdivisions? The Ramos estate in Cavite for instance, it continues to be struggled by the peasants who tilled that arable soil for decades despite attempts by real estate developers to grab it. Or how about supporting the interests of multinational food conglomerates and traders than those of small farmers and cooperatives? For sure that by using the Rice Tarrification Law and other "reform bills" for an alibi, Villar and others would hath expressed that domestic self sufficiency as not enough- and that by letting traders and big agri conglomerates dominate, there is no need for the government to intervene and thus letting the market to resolve it.
Anyway, to conclude this note, there will always be a fixation for improvement. Driven by the desire for bountiful harvests and healthier diets, this fixation for improving the country's agriculture would say helps in sufficing problems despite ridicule or an outright dismissal. In fact, in a statement from Agriculture Secretary William Dar, he seriously stressed the importance on utilising sciences especially those of research, as he said during the budget deliberation:
“The development of varieties is the result of R&D. We are only releasing [new varieties] every 10 years, while Thailand is releasing every five years. That indicates the key importance of research and development,”
“If properly focused, the R&D is such a critical investment. We have just to really focus, pay attention on the priority areas which we need to invest on,” he added.
And to think that Dar also agrees with Senator Villar that the research outputs should directly benefit the farmers, he clarified that “varietal development, hybridization, is key in increasing the productivity.”
“It is necessary to invest in priority areas for research and development,” he repeated. Stubbornly stressing its importance.
Dar said the DA will conduct “strategic research” to be able to give the sector “right varieties every now and then, not to wait every 10 years.”
Thus, it is worth to say that a fixation for agricultural research is itself a fixation for agricultural development. Haters gonna hate as one may say.