PH targets rice self-sufficiency in 3 years

Focus on four major aspects

The government is focusing on four fundamental aspects to achieve rice self-sufficiency in the next two to three years, according to Agriculture Secretary Manny Piñol.

“I am very confident that within the next two to three years, we will be able to hit rice self-sufficiency. We just need to focus on four things,” Piñol said at the sidelines of the celebration of the 50th year of the release of high-yielding rice variety called IR8 in Los Baños, Laguna.

Piñol said that by producing quality seeds, supporting fertilization, enhancing irrigation, and fostering farm mechanization, the country will be able to achieve rice self-sufficiency.

In commemoration of one of the biggest milestones in food security, a Farmers’ and Partners’ Day was held at the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) headquarters in Los Baños, Laguna last Nov. 29, back where the first real-world tests of IR8 and succeeding high-yielding rice types have started.

IR8, which was developed by IRRI from the cross breeding of tall vigorous variety “Peta” from Indonesia and dwarf variety “Dee-geo-woo-gen” from Taiwan, is credited to have sparked the Green Revolution in Asia that saved the region from famine in 1960s and 1970s.

Dr. Peter Jennings, who led the breeding team that developed IR8, has also attended the event.

“On behalf of the Filipino people, we would like to thank you for your contributions to our goal of feeding this nation. You have fed not only the Philippines but the whole world,” Piñol told Jennings.