Building better: Modernizing agriculture after Yolanda (Part 4) Intensive Sustainable Multiple Cropping

by Dr. Emil Javier
Published in: http://www.mb.com.ph/building-better-modernizing-agriculture-after-yolanda-part-4/
August 30, 2014

Agriculture modernization hews along two major pathways: 1) highly mechanized extensive
farming for low-population dense but land-rich countries like the United States, Canada, Brazil
and Australia, and 2) intensive gardening type of agriculture for high population dense but
arable land-poor countries like Japan and South Korea, and many parts of China.

Our path of modernization out of necessity will follow the latter model but with two significant
differences: 1) we have surplus farm labor because industry remains underdeveloped, and 2) our
tropical monsoon climate allows year-round crop growing unlike in the temperate zone where
crop farming halts during winter except under greenhouses.

In lowland areas, with sufficient water control both for irrigation and drainage; planting of short
maturing varieties; minimum tillage and use of seedlings partly grown in seedbeds/nurseries to
abbreviate the turn-around time between crops, it is feasible to harvest 3-5 crops a year from the
same plot of land instead of only 1-2, effectively trebling rural employment and producing much
more food which will bring food prices down.

In upland areas where irrigation is not feasible and where coconuts are grown, various high
value crops can be planted between the rows into a multiple canopy type of mixed cropping to
take full advantage of the sunlight filtering between the coconut trees. Pineapple, sweet potato,
cassava, corn, ginger, arrowroot, vegetables and legumes can constitute the ground layer.
Papaya, bananas, coffee, black pepper, abaca, lanzones and other fruit trees can be the second
layer canopy.

If the Aquino government is looking for low-hanging fruits to promote inclusive growth i.e. to
generate more employment especially in the rural areas and enhance food security by bringing
food prices down, intensive sustainable multiple cropping could be one major solution.
Thus in building better after Yolanda, there must be a deliberate paradigm shift away from
monocropping to intensive, sustainable multiple cropping systems.

Actually in the Yolanda-devastated communities in Regions 6, 7 and 8 (also true for the rest of
the country), there are four major cropping patterns: 1) rice-based, 2) corn-based, 3) coconutbased,
and 4) agro-forestry. Extension, research and market development should be built
around these four cropping systems.

The kinds of crops to grow, the planting calendars and crop management techniques are site and
market-specific. The paradigm shift from monocropping into farming systems will require
adjustments in organization; program re-orientation; staff recruitment and training as well as in
the research support components.

Right away DA-BAR and DOST-PCAARRD ought to organize inter-agency, nation-wide ricebased,
corn-based, coconut-based and agro-forestry farming systems R&D networks. PhilRice
can be assigned to provide technical supervision for rice; PCA for coconut, and UPLB for corn
and agro-forestry.

But most importantly, there must be a more vigorous effort to link the production sub-system
with the markets, both processed and fresh.

Agricultural operations are intimately linked with weather and climate. Products are in surplus
at times of the year, bringing prices down to rock bottom, causing farmers heavy losses. Offseason
production will bring better prices for farmers and even out supplies but will require
creative ways of mitigating climate risks and minimizing losses.

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Dr. Emil Q. Javier is also Chair of the Coalition for Agriculture Modernization in the
Philippines (CAMP). For any feedback , email eqjavier@yahoo.com.