Governor Isidro Zayco yesterday said the Department of Agriculture is willing to provide a P30 million counterpart for the improvement of communal irrigation systems in Negros Occidental, in support of their bid for the province to be rice-self sufficient.

The Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Negros Occidental, at the request of Zayco, had earlier approved a P40- million budget for the improvement of irrigation systems and for agricultural inputs in the province.

Zayco, who met with DA regional director Larry Nacionales in Binalbagan yesterday, said he was told of their willingness to provide P30 million, to the P30-million budget set aside by the province for its communal irrigation systems.

Negros Occidental, which is seeking to become rice self-sufficient, produces only 90 percent of its rice requirement. It ranks 11th nationwide in rice production, Provincial Agriculturist Igmedio Tabianan.

The 2.5 million population of Negros Occidental consumed 347,000 metric tons of rice in 2007, and the province only produces 280,000 metric tons, Tabianan said.

He said the 70,000 MT shortage may be address by planting rice to 60,000 hectares, in order for Negros Occidental to be rice-self sufficient.

Zayco, accompanied by Vice-Governor Emilio Yulo, Board Members Miller Serondo, Mae Javellana, Nehemias de la Cruz, Macario Zafra and Edgardo Acuña, representatives of the National Food Authority and National Irrigation Administration, yesterday met with Bishop Vicente Navarra and several priests, to formulate strategies on the how to address the rice shortage in Negros Occidental.

Navarra aired a suggestion that Social Action offices of Dioceses should directly coordinate with concerned government agencies, to fast-track the distribution of rice , especially those in the far-flung areas who are now hungry, .

He said he learned that there is so much paper work to accomplish in the distribution of rice.

“I believe that, through Social Action offices, we could have avoided some speculations”, Navarra said, apparently referring to the rice distribution.

With more funds for the province’s agricultural program, Tabianan said he is optimistic that Negros Occidental will be able to achieve its food security goal.

Acuña also stressed the need to increase rice production, and not just by increasing the number of hectares to be planted with rice.

Thousands of sacks of rice seeds and organic fertilizers are now being distributed by the provincial government to rice farmers in Negros Occidental, Tabianan, in his report to Zayco, said.

NFA provincial manager Marianito Bejemino said they have noted that the price of commercial rice has started stabilize recently.*GPB

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