Understand The Times, International

January 18 - Unseen food crisis: Farmers may be a dying breed

Comment from Understand the Times:

Farmers are a dying breed all over the world, not just in the Philippines. For example, in Canada and the USA farmers are being forced off the farm by the joint effort of large corporations and governments and their regulations that are designed to turn the land over to the New World Order, who is made up of the wealthy ruling class.

This can be clearly understood in light of the Bible, as we have been told ahead of time what to expect. There is no way out, is there? All we can do is see it coming and tell people about it, right?

Article: Misc.

FILIPINO farmers are growing old and the younger generation won�t replace them in the fields. Senator Francis Pangilinan, committee chair on agriculture and food, said in a media briefing this has been an �unseen crisis� in Philippine agriculture, one that could affect the country�s food supply in the next few years.

According to Pangilinan, there are 4.3 million farmers in the Philippines, with an average land of 2.5 hectares each. Their average age is 57, much too old to till the fields. �This is reaching crisis level. If we don't correct this in three years, we will have a problem getting our output,� he said.

The demographics have indicated that younger Filipinos are not enticed to enter in the agricultural sector because farming does not offer a way out of poverty, according to the senator. �Their grandfathers were poor, their fathers were poor,� he said.

He expressed support for strengthening the local government's role in agricultural productivity because the local executives would be in the position to know the needs of their farmers.

�I am more partial to the idea of just letting the (Department of Agriculture or DA) set the policy direction and then let the local governments implement (that policy),� Pangilinan said.

Meanwhile, Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala said the DA has been working to enhance the market access and entrepreneurial skills of farmers and fisherfolks to increase their competitiveness. DA, he said, would establish Trading Centers in strategic locations based on the competitive advantage of the area.