Healthy Farms for Healthy Foods

The World Bank thinks it has the intelligent internationally implementable initiative against the impending food crisis: “Fertilizer Management.” “ Fertilizer?” Or “Fertility?” That is the question! Juergen Voegele advices on “How To Manage The World’s Fertilizers To Avoid A Prolonged Food Crisis” (22 July 2022, World Bank Blogs , blogs.worldbank.org ). In 99 words, Mr Voegele, World Bank Vice President for Sustainable Development, assesses as all-in-all an appropriate approach: Hidden behind the worst global food crisis in a decade, fertilizer prices have skyrocketed and remain volatile. This poses a serious threat to food security, as the planting season starts this summer. So far, the war in Ukraine has mostly affected countries importing wheat and corn. But many countries, including some major food exporters, are net fertilizer importers. Persistently high fertilizer prices may spread to a broader variety of crops including rice, a staple which has not yet seen war-related price

The astounding System of Rice Intensification (SRI) came from Cornell University to the Philippines in 2000, and trial plantings were made in Southern Mindanao, resulting in average yields of 7 t/ha in 2001 and 12 t/ha in 2002 ( sri.ciifad.cornell.edu ). 20 years later – What happened to the tremendous SRI promise?! Above, we see the enthusiastic Facebook sharing of PH ex-Secretary of Agriculture William Dar where he says, “In PhilRice, Munoz, Nueva Ecija to visit the testing of SRI Technology and derby on fertilizers on rice!” My comment on the Facebook sharing [translation added]: In 2003, IRRI reported a very sad SRI yield of 1.44 t/ha – according to CIFAD, Cornell U; PhilRice did not report any encouraging yield either. But Engr Carlos Salazar of NIA reported from his own farm a yield 6.9 t/ha in 2003. Maabak ti IRRI ken PhilRice! Apay ngay? [IRRI and PhilRice are the losers here! Why are they?] 😎 Repeat: CIIFAD (above) reports that IRRI tried SRI and got a miserable 1.44 t/h

Even the Roman Catholic Church love journalists who fight for press freedom – I am a true-blue Roman Catholic and journalist but I don’t support journalists, Catholic or not, who fight for their right to pursue the hundreds of unrighteous rather than for the good of millions of poor people! Courtney Mares says (10 May 2022, “Titus Brandsma: A New Patron Saint of Journalism?” National Catholic Register ( ncregister.com ): More than 60 journalists write to Pope Francis with request, saying soon-to-be saint’s “journalistic works stand out among all his other activities,” adding that “he gave his life for it. In our view, this makes him particularly suitable for this patronage.” An open letter published on May 10 said that the world “urgently requires a holy intercessor” like Brandsma, a Carmelite priest and journalist, “in these times of disinformation and polarization.” In part, the petition says: We, Catholic journalists, recognize in Titus Brandsma a professional peer and fellow

A good friend, Wilfrido Villarama , points out to me the preoccupations of today, people looking for government’s “community-action initiatives” such as Community Engagement, Solidarity, And Citizenship (book authored by Jalton C Taguibao , cover shown above). In those 3 broad concepts, something huge is missing! Guess what? Now, what does the book contain? In its website, of both original & updated versions, both undated ( main.vibalgroup.com ), publisher Vibal repeatedly says: This book focuses on the application of ideas and methods of the social sciences to examine challenges of contemporary community life. It focuses on community-action initiatives such as community engagement, solidarity, and citizenship as guided by the core values of human rights, social justice, empowerment and advocacy, gender equality, and participatory development. It enhances students’ sense of shared identity and willingness to contribute to the pursuit of the common good. Excellent cover, excelle

Actually, we Filipinos are now “highly digital” with cellphones everywhere, for talking, texting and viewing – mostly personal. An excellent take-off point to create a “Digital Philippines.” We need a leader to announce it – and now we have President Ferdinand “BBM” Marcos Jr . (BBM image from Bloomberg, bloomberg.com ) We already have the Department of Information & Communications Technology (DICT) and BBM has given the “marching order” to Secretary of ICT Ivan John Uy : “We need to digitalize the Philippines" ( Raymond Carl Dela Cruz , 24 July 2022, “Bongbong Marcos Vision: A Digital Philippines,” PNA, pna.gov.ph ). Mr Dela Cruz quotes Mr Uy as saying: We see that there are so many things that are in store for us in this current administration. Our digitalization efforts will be pushing through with more vitality, with more energy, and we have a president who is digitally in-tuned with what is really needed in terms of information and communication technology to make the

Above, in the middle of the image, beyond the structure going up, before Mt Makiling in the background, is the campus of the University of the Philippines Los Baños, now 114 years old. In terms of agriculture, my alma mater UPLB does not deserve any red flower in homage, having been sleeping a hundred years – It has defaulted on Organic Agriculture! I took that photo on my 70 th birthday, 17 Sept 2010, with my Casio Ex-S5 camera. 2 years later, I bought my Lumix FZ100 digital camera and almost singlehandedly produced my first coffee-table book, The Filipino Farmer Is Bankable , for the Agricultural Credit Policy Council’s silver anniversary 25 April 2012, with Jovita Corpuz as Executive Director. At that time, already I had taught myself digital writing, editing, desktop publishing. As a 1965 UPLB alumnus, BSA Ag Edu, I say, “Nobody should stop learning!” And teaching. Sorry, but UP Los Baños has stopped learning and teaching something old, something new! The concept leading to

Historians and non-historians reacted negatively when Filipina actress Ella Cruz said what she said about history and gossip, during the press conference for her new movie, “Maid In Malacañang,” a film about the last 72 hours of the Ferdinand Edralin “FM” Marcos family before flying out of the presidential palace for Hawaii, ending the coup that Juan Ponce Enrile had ignited, leading to People Power Revolution , ending Martial Law. What did she say again? Patricia Taculao says Ms Ella said (04 July 2022, “Actress Ella Cruz’s ‘History Is Tsismis’ Comment Draws Flak From Netizens,” Manila Standard , manilastandard.net ): History is like tsismis. It is filtered and dagdag na rin, so, hindi natin alam what is the real history. Andoon na iyong idea, pero may mga bias talaga. As long as we’re here alive at may kanya-kanyang opinion, I respect everyone’s opinion. (“History is like gossip. It is filtered and also added to, so we don’t know what is the real history. The idea is there, but

Defying history & authority – and intelligence – PH activists will be with their placards on Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City protesting President Ferdinand “BBM” Marcos Jr’s State of the Nation Address (SoNA) on Monday, 25 July 2022, somewhere near the Batasang Pambansa building (Batasan) in Quezon City. I say that that is not exhibiting their intelligence! ANN says ( Author Not Named , 22 July 2022, “Defying Authorities, Activists To Hold Commonwealth Protest On Marcos SoNA,” news.abs-cbn.com ): MANILA — Despite failing to get a permit, cause-oriented groups under the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan ( Bayan ) coalition will push through with their planned demonstration along Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City on Monday, 25 July, the day of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr's first State of the Nation Address (SoNA), its Secretary-General Renato Reyes Jr said Thursday. "Tuloy pa rin po ang rally. I don't think it will be stopped by the mere denial of the permit k

“A Low-Cost Miracle Rice 2022?” Yes! You better believe it. I’m talking about increasing the yield of rice and simultaneously decreasing the cost of production to almost zero – unbelievable! BBM Sir, you said (displayed in PhilMech Facebook sharing, above) and I quote: We need an immediate plan to ensure that our food supply and the food prices are within reach of ordinary Filipinos from now until the end of the year. Sir, accidentally, this UP Los Baños alumnus (1965) has that “immediate plan” – truthfully, it is already 57 years old! Which, borrowing from IRRI (lower image) and your father, Ferdinand “FM” Marcos , I now call: “A Low-Cost Miracle Rice 2022.” IRRI-FM’s “Miracle Rice” (IR8) happened in 1968. “Miracle Rice” tripled yields, an astounding achievement of IRRI scientists. Undoubtedly a miracle. Today, based on personal knowledge and experience, here is how to produce “A Low-Cost Miracle Rice 2022” – Step 1 – Rotavate field intelligently. Run a rotavator shallowly to

I am very worried. Wildfires and heat waves from the Amazon to the Arctic, from Europe to the US, huge sea waves, flash floods and landslides tell me climate change is endangering people all over the world – so, as long as we can do something about those, we should. Starting yesterday ! (images: “We can reverse” from Tecnologia Horticola, tecnologiahorticola.com ; “We could sequester” from PA Environment Digest, m.facebook.com ) Here comes Rodale Institute with its appeal for world action: “ Regenerative Organic Agriculture and Climate Change (A Down-to-Earth Solution to Global Warming) [15 pages, published 17 April 2015, Rodale Institute, rodaleinstitute.org ]. In the very beginning of that document, Rodale Institute Director Mark Smallwood says: Regenerative organic agriculture refers to working with nature to utilize photosynthesis and healthy soil microbiology to draw down greenhouse gases. With the use of cover crops, compost, crop rotation and reduced tillage, we can actuall

Thursday, 14 July 2022, I saw the Facebook sharing of Daisy Langenegger , and I could not help but write this comment: “the seedlings are already too old! the usual farmer practice, hindi na natuto! 😎 ” [“They have not learned!”] Ms Daisy felt it was my personal insult to her and she replied with a tirade of 341 words. (Read a shortened reproduction of it at the end of this essay – no hard feelings !) This educator’s reply was 8 words: “whatever. the seedlings are still too old, period. ” Ms Daisy’s first words were: “Frank A Hilario Sir, are you mentioning me?” No, I did not “see” her in the picture. Now I see, “hindi na natuto” reads as an insult, sorry. What was I thinking? Not a proper way to treat a lady! Yes, these are a month old seedlings of our own farm… organically farmed rice seeds and we are doing this intentionally to make them more resistant to snail damage. Ms Daisy, you’re not alone. One month-old rice seedlings are the practice all

Is press freedom being denied Maria Ressa & news media Rappler ? Differently, I believe she is simply being denied further exercise of that freedom. There is a big difference. Without realizing it, is Rappler practicing Devilment Journalism , not Development Journalism ? Press Freedom   – I never forgot UP College of Law Dean Ricardo Pascual in the early 1960s in a lecture at UPCA (now UP Los Baños) defining freedom in practical terms: “Freedom is like this – You have the right to swing your arm short of my nose!” Thus: Freedom of Speech and Freedom of the Press are the same: You watch out if you literally or figuratively swing your arm short of someone’s literal or figurative nose! So, why are the press people, above all Filipina Nobel Peace Prize 2021 winner Maria Ressa, complaining about Freedom of the Press when in fact they are exercising it – and now they are receiving the results of the exercise of the Freedom of the Pressed, the people trying to defend themselves and/

“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

BBM Sir, I have been reading and re-reading your inaugural address, all 2,675 words of it, because I wanted to find out where I would, if I could, fit in – and I found it, unsurprisingly, in Agriculture – I’m a journalist and an alumnus of UP Los Baños, 1965. What special gift do I bring to Agriculture in these Marcosian times? I am that one recognized by the UPLB Alumni Association: “Outstanding Alumnus For Creative Writing.” The one and only in 100 years. To bring good news out of farming, we have to promote good, better, best farming! Via good, better, best agri journalism! (“Good News” image from Stroud, stroudcenter.org ) Like you have to study to be good at being President, I Ilocano had to study to become what I thought I was good at: Creative Writing – in a foreign language, English. We don’t have any journalist group active in promoting Agriculture for good beyond the bad – none, zero. BBM Sir, you are the interim Secretary of Agriculture. “Congrats!” And “Good luck!” You

Days towards and at the end of his term as Secretary of Agriculture, I saw the full figure of William Dar on Facebook every now and then – with a happy face! The above image is from his Facebook page, 12 July 2022, with this caption: “Liam Dar Sicada and myself enjoying the breeze and fresh air at the farm in Lingsat, Sta Maria, Ilocos Sur!” Liam is a granddaughter, and Mr Dar is a native of Santa Maria. Ilocano. As an Ilocano myself, I dare say the ilocanos are a hardy, happy race! Mr Dar was Secretary of Agriculture from 05 Aug 2019 to 30 June 2022. The happy face is showing 12 days after an intense 29 months of accepting the problematic past, directing the chaotic present with 27 agencies of the Department of Agriculture (DA), and pointing to the promising future of Philippine agriculture. President Ferdinand “BBM” Marcos Jr has taken over the chaos as interim Secretary! On the morning of Friday, 08 July 2022, Mr Dar was guest speaker in the 97th Commencement Exercises of his