But ANN (Author Not Named) mixed sour corn news with sweet banana news in Amai Manabilang – and, later in the text, mentioned the farmers’ expressed request for a farm-to-market road, FMR. I see that this is really a mixed-up report that does not try to empathize with the farmers’ problems except to report them all.
Mixed signals is typical of PH journalism –
no wonder audiences suffer from astigmatism!
First, the occasion was a briefing on corn farming and the worm. The lecture included “in-depth lecture(s) on corn production technologies, land preparation, water management, integrated fertilizer and pest management, harvesting, and marketing.”
As an agriculturist, I note from all of the above that the lecture on corn production was complete. Now, why the emphasis on the FAW when its population was supposed to be controlled by pest management, never reaching the level of infestation? That suggests the lecturer somehow was in favor of chemical control of the FAW!
Second, ANN said that the proper identification of the FAW was “aimed at empowering the farmers” just in case their corn was infested by those worms. It would have been more value-adding to hear the lecturer point out what practices could be resorted to by the farmers in order to prevent the FAW from increasing its population to the level of infestation. I know that these practices include trap cropping, multiple cropping, and intercropping.
Third, what about the FMR? The farmers said they needed it because of “the difficult and costly transportation of their products.” That is like saying the FMR will solve their problems in transportation and marketing!
No Sir! Instead, the corn farmers need to be educated and
empowered to be their own entrepreneurs!
And I recommend, as I have been recommending since 2014, that trainings and assistances be carried out by a Super Coop to which farmers are members. Assisted by the Department of Agriculture, and private investors, the Super Coop will manage the affairs of the members from production to marketing, taking care of inputs, loans, tools & equipment, harvesting, drying, warehousing when necessary, up to marketing. To banish the need for 5-6 loans by farmers, the Super Coop will offer farmer-friendly loans of any amount any time for any purpose, with the expected or actual harvest as collateral.
The Super Coop is the Super Friends farmers never had!@517
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