Tribal, rainfed areas eyed for sorghum

THE country’s first-nationwide sorghum production will prioritize tribal ancestral domains and rainfed areas to lower poverty while increasing productivity, the Department of Agriculture (DA) said on Friday.

In a statement, Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol said the DA will be launching it’s second pilot farm in Cotabato on November 10.

The first one was earlier launched in his own farm in Kidapawan City, which registered a yield of 22 tons of sorghum per hectare.

While the DA is doubling efforts on increasing farmers’ productivity, Piñol said his department is also stepping up its 4Ks Program or Kabuhayan at Kaunlaran ng Kababayang Katutubo to uplift the livelihood of indigenous peoples ( IPs) in all regions of the country.

To start this, the agriculture chief said leaders of the tribal communities and farmers groups in upland and rainfed areas will be invited to a one- day lecture and planting demonstration before the new crop is introduced to their areas.

“With over 2 million hectares of rain-fed rice areas and almost 5 million hectares of Tribal Ancestral Domains all over the country, the prospects of achieving enough supply of raw materials for livestock and poultry feeds are bright,” said Piñol.

“Also, by focusing the production of sorghum in Ancestral Domains and rainfed areas where farmers only produce once a year, the DA will also be able to address poverty,” he added.

The DA is eyeing to start early next year the Sorghum Production Program (SPP) in the country as an alternative animal feeds.