Today, early morning of Sunday, 06 September 2020, I see on Facebook the stark sign above, “GO” where the small sign “IRRI” is pasted. Then “GO” plays out:
Going Further.
Going Places.
Going Strong.
Going Beyond Rice.
Nice!
Actually, the last entry is not correct. IRRI has never gone beyond rice.
I know. I was Freshman at the University of the Philippines’ College of Agriculture, now UP Los Baños, in 1959; IRRI was born 1960, headquarters built within walking distance from the main campus. And from the time I graduated in 1965, I never really left UP Los Baños intellectually, only physically once in a while.
Just like UP Los Baños never left rice. And UPLB is 100 years old.
Just like IRRI never left rice. And IRRI is 60 years old.
Oh, I remember reading about rice-based farming systems being studied at IRRI. I was hopeful, because why should the future of Asians, the future of us Filipinos, be dependent on rice and mostly rice? (above image is my shot from atop the Sinapog Bridge of my hometown, Asingan, Pangasinan, 13 June 2019 at 05:51 AM)
Perhaps I would not have wondered if we were exporting rice – but we were importing! Only PH President Ferdinand Edralin Marcos seemed to care, but he went thataway.
There was this PalayamananProject – palay, rice; yaman, wealth; yamanan, source of wealth – a 1-ha model project of PhilRice. Here’s part of a report from RG Corales, LM Juliano, AOV Capistrano, HS Tobias, NV Dasalla, SD Cañete, MC Casimero and LS Sebastian (March 2005, “Palayamanan: A Rice-Based Farming Systems Model For Small-Scale Farmers[1],“ ResearchGate):
The Palayamanan model of diversified integrated rice-based farming system developed and established by the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) is composed of synergistically compatible farming ventures such as rice, onion, poultry, livestock, and aquaculture. The model farm has been established in six state colleges and universities and a research center in the country. The system employs practical, cost-saving and yield-enhancing management practices.
Why is no one talking about palayamanan nowadays? Where are those model farms? “Practical, cost-saving, and yield-enhancing…” Too much of a model, I would say. Too ideal.
Like I said, we Filipinos need more than rice. Must be rice-based farming systems. So, R&D people, why don’t we have thriving communities with combination of any of the following crops anywhere in the Philippines?
(1) Beans
(2) Bitter gourd
(3) Cabbage
(4) Cassava
(5) Cauliflower
(6) Chili
(7) Corn
(8) Cucumber
(9) Eggplant
(10) Garlic
(11) Onion
(12) Peanut
(13) Potato
(14) Squash
(15) Sweet pepper
(16) Sweet potato
(17) Tomato
Special Mention – Rice-fish culture. My father used to dig a round hole at one corner of our ricefield as deep as a knee or deeper – and the fish, usually dalag, mudfish, that would grow unmolested deep in that hole and later, jumping, would land on our plates. Delicious!
In the meantime, IRRI is stuck there. Now, to where is IRRI:
Going further?
Going places?
Going strong?
Going beyond rice?@517
[1]https://www.researchgate.net/publication/265061838_palayamanan_a_rice-based_farming_systems_model_for_small-scale_farmers
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