Above: Main[1] image is an impressionist painting, from Fineartamerica.com; superimposed image is a mechanical transplanter[2] from PhilMech (YouTube.com). Human labor must give way to technology!
No, I’m not against the popular 1950s rice planting paintings of famous Filipino painter Fernando Amorsolo, even as my son Paul Hilario is the painter of the image above, even as he is now an internationally acknowledged artist in the manner of impressionism, which I love. Interestingly, my son became Curator of the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), whose Rice Knowledge Bank features the transplanter, yet I never read IRRI promoting mechanical over manual transplanting of rice, I wonder why.
Here comes ANN with the “OneDA Family Yearender,” 1stof 5-part series (Author Not Named, 01 Jan 2021, “PHL Remains Resilient, Expects Another Record Palay Harvest, Amid Challenges”). It’s 867 words, including title – but I’m interested only in the 61-word list of 3 “notable accomplishments of the RCEF” – the Department of Agriculture (DA) utilizing the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) for operations, added to regular OneDA budgets.
So, how goes the Rice Nation? ANN says:
DA's Philippine Integrated Rice Program Director Dionisio Alvindia said initial estimates show that 2021 palay production could reach at least 19.95 MMT, combining the January to September output of 12.55 MMT and the expected fourth quarter (Q4) harvest of at least 7.4 MMT.
Secretary of Agriculture William Dar said:
We are optimistic that the 2021 agriculture sector performance is better than the previous year. We would be happy with a one-percent positive growth. This year… we expect another record (rice) harvest, surpassing last year's output of 19.4 million metric tons (MMT), despite losses due to Typhoon Odette.
To date, among the most notable achievements of OneDA implementing the RCEF are:
1. “Increase in average palay production to 4.26 MT per hectare (ha) from 3.64 MT/ha…” That points to an increase of 0.62 MT harvest of rice/ha. You have to increase harvest to increase income.
2. “Decrease in production cost, per PSA data from P12.52/kg to P11.52/kg.” That points to a difference of P1/kg in cost. You have to reduce cost to increase profit.
3. “Decrease in inbred seed utilization via manual method by 33%, from 90 kg/ha to 60 kg ha; and further decrease in seed utilization using mechanical seeder by 67% to 30 kg/ha.” The seeder sows seeds with uniform spacing, no wastes. Note that ANN says, “Decrease in inbred seed utilization via manual method by 33%” – meaning that with mechanical planting instead of manual, the amount of inbred seeds needed for mechanical is only 67% of that for manual transplanting.
2022: Art with applied science. I say, in portraying rice planting in the Philippines, traditional painters like Amorsolo would lose human models, while impressionist painters like Hilario gain, literally, a firm foothold. Even painters have to bow to new technology!@517
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