Above, the image of the 8 arrows (from GoGraph[1]) signify the “8 Paradigms” (or “New Synchronized Directions”) accompanying “The New Thinking For Agriculture” that Secretary of Agriculture William Dar/Manong Willie began espousing when he assumed office 05 August 2019. Not cowpokes but perspectives in helping to move PH Agriculture from Zero to Hero!
Not farmers, they are CAMP, or the Coalition for Agriculture Modernization in the Philippine. Comes now CAMP. On Saturday, 02 May 2020, they were having an intense exchange of ideas & innovations among 24 CAMP members. Did they observe social distancing while they were gathered to listen to the main speaker? They did not have to; already, they were divided & distanced – digitally. The transaction was via email cc. I am sharing it with the world for 2 things:
One: I see there is much wisdom in this one CAMP dialogue borne out of expertise and experience and enlightenment.
Two: Because it is essentially an unfinished business!
Pabs Villegas starts off by saying:
Thanks to you and Tito and rest of us at CAMP for the brilliant ideas on how to bring agriculture moving and (becoming) an inclusive agribusiness within agro-based industries to bring rural prosperity and liberate our farmers and fisher folks from the bondage of food insecurity and poverty.
About Pabs’ monologue of 2,270 words:
It’s awesome!
Now I tell you why.
Now I tell you why.
The starting topic is “How to bring agriculture moving,”
Today, in the above superimposed image[2] (that I painterized), the reality is that the Filipino farmer is not moving to the direction of an improved life for his family – he is just moving. Even if we change the picture to a farmer with a hand tractor, the story is the same:
The Filipino farm family has been left behind!
Not in stark penury, but in the paucity of hope of release from the shackles of poverty and remaining free.
Not in stark penury, but in the paucity of hope of release from the shackles of poverty and remaining free.
Every Filipino family deserves hope for a better life, contributed to by the family members in the form of industry and intelligence.
CAMP wants PH “Agriculture moving and (becoming) an inclusive agribusiness to bring rural prosperity and liberate our farmers and fisher folks from the bondage of food insecurity and poverty.”
CAMP is right. Up to today, Filipino farmers are insecure in both food and income.
So what remains to be done? Is CAMP in the eyes of Pabs Villegas looking at the national problem holistically?
Yes, but some parts of the whole picture are blurred. While CAMP has brilliant ideas about rural infrastructures, institutional development and credit components, it still works on the land reform agenda as the sine qua non to helping small farmers move from want. Not only that: Today, usury and middleman-ship rob the poor farmers blind!
Those are what CAMP does not mention in the above monologue/dialogue, and even in the email exchange. There is much more to do. If we do not help the Filipino farmer move to become family-secure, he stays on his tracks!@517
[1] https://www.gograph.com/clipart/pixel-expand-arrows-mosaic-icons-gg109517449.html
[2] https://i1.wp.com/farm3.static.flickr.com/2206/2426594373_625e5c51e7.jpg
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