Corn research, technical aid legislation filed in Congress

A MEASURE proposing to create a corn industry research institute has been filed in the House of Representatives in aid of the government’s food security efforts.

House Bill No. 9861 seeks to establish the Philippine Corn Research Institute, as farmers face challenges in growing the crop due to the high cost of production, fertilizer, and seed, as well as labor and environmental issues.

“This legislation aims to fully develop and utilize corn as one of the most essential crops in the country, primarily in the pursuit of food security and self-sufficiency,” Ilocos Norte Rep. Angelo M. Barba said in the bill’s explanatory note.

The measure also called for subsidized credit from the Land Bank of the Philippines to be applied to the purchase of inputs and machinery, according to a copy of the bill.

The Department of Agriculture, with other agencies, has been tasked with deploying agricultural engineers, agriculturalists and farm technicians to assist corn farmers in farm management and technical know-how.

The measure proposes to establish a farm mechanization training program to prepare farmers to use and maintain equipment.

The proposed law will require funding of P4 billion a year from the national budget, with 20% earmarked for the farm support and farm mechanization programs and 15% for research and development.

The funding also includes 60% for infrastructure support, and 5% for grants targeted at students in state universities and colleges taking up agricultural courses related to corn farming.

Corn crops were projected to be the most vulnerable to climate change by 2030, the World Bank said last year. —