THE Department of Budget and Management (DBM) has released P3.43 billion to the Department of Agriculture’s (DA) National Rice Program to help the country attain rice self-sufficiency by 2013.
“The DA’s National Rice Program highlights the Aquino Administration’s commitment to rice self-sufficiency by 2013. Through this program, the government makes sure that facilities, technologies and other interventions are in place to help us achieve this target,” Budget Secretary Florencio Abad said in a statement.
Under the program, farmers are provided with seeds, irrigation, credit and marketing assistance to improve farm productivity and profitability.
The DA expects to produce 17.45 million metric tons (MT) of palay this year, which it plans to increase by 10 percent to 19.2 million MT in 2012, and by another 10 percent to 21.11 million MT in 2013 to achieve rice self-sufficiency, the DBM said.
Total budget for the National Rice Program for 2011 is placed at P5.21 billion. Almost half of the funding, or about P1.45 billion, will go to the Office of the Secretary, while the remaining amount will be divided among the implementing DA offices and agencies, including the Agricultural Training Institute, which will get P104.15 million, Bureau of Soils and Water Management (P500 million); Bureau of Agricultural Statistics (P35 million); and Bureau of Agricultural Research (P15 million).
The DA expects to produce 17.45 million metric tons (MMT) of palay this year, which it plans to increase by 10 percent to 19.2 MMT in 2012, and by another 10 percent to 21.11 MMT in 2013 to achieve rice self-sufficiency, the DBM said.
In a technical budget hearing conducted by the DBM, Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala said the agency is aiming for a 91.9-percent rice self-sufficiency by 2012 from 84.4 percent this year.
To attain this, he proposed increases in its 2012 budget for its banner program for rice.
Abad, meanwhile, emphasized the need for the DA to strengthen its capability and refocus its investments toward achieving its Philippine Food Staple Self-Sufficiency Roadmap in line with achieving 100-percent rice self-sufficiency.
