Republic of the Philippines
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Philippine Center for Postharvest
Development and Mechanization
CLSU Compound, Science City of Muñoz, Nueva Ecija

FEATURES

The Philippines' Rising Corn Giant
by Jett Molech G. Subaba (March 1, 2011)
Central Mindanao can now be considered as one of the country's rising giants when it comes to production of corn. Region 12 covers the provinces of South Cotabato, Sarangani, North Cotabato and Sultan Kudarat.

In 2008, the region produced 1,117,781 metric tons of corn which contributes 13 percent to the total corn production in the Philippines. Moreover, the region ranked third among the top corn producing region in the country next to Region 2 and Region 10, respectively.

However, the region is facing certain issues like postharvest losses, high incidence of aflatoxin and market for the farmers' harvests. In an assessment, the region recorded a 10 percent loss (2009) in the corn production and postproduction operations due to improper handling and practices.

Reducing corn postharvest losses and providing the farmers a market for their produce are the initial steps of the Department of Agriculture-Regional Field Unit 12 (DA-RFU 12) in attaining their vision of producing a high quality corn in the next three to four years. This vision is in line with the food security and self-sufficiency program of the government.

"In the next three to four years, we envision to be a producer of high premium quality corn in the country that could even be exported globally," said Atty. Tommy A. Ala, former regional executive director of DA-RFU 12.

Problems of the corn industry

One of the major problems confronting the corn industry in the region is the lack of postharvest facilities. Farmers depend on solar drying by using multi-purpose drying pavements (MPDP's). These MPDP’s would somehow ease the burden of corn farmers in drying their harvest.

However, there is lack of MPDP's in the region, that’s why the quality of produce of some corn farmers' were sacrificed especially those in the rural areas. MPDP’s can only be used during good weather condition. Good thing the region is a typhoon-prone area.

The high cost of farm inputs like seeds and fertilizers is one of the burdens of many corn farmers. Farmers would have to limit some of its farm inputs, thus, producing a low quality corn.

"Kaya hindi tayo nakaka-compete sa world market dahil ang napro-produce natin ay hindi yung talagang high quality corn (The reason why we cannot compete in the world market is because we cannot produce high quality corn)," said Ala.

This situation can be attributed to aflatoxin contamination in corn which threaten the industry and posed health hazard to the consumers. Moreover, the low quality of farmers' produce is due to lack of information dissemination on the proper postharvest handling of corn.

Likewise, many farmers practiced harvesting immature corn which results to poor grain quality and causes breakage during shelling operation.

"Harvested corn should be dried within 24 hours after harvest. Efforts are now being undertaken by DA to keep more farmers aware on the importance of immediately drying their harvest. This is part of the Good Agricultural Practices (GAP)," said Zaldy Boloron, regional corn coordinator.

Efforts toward development

True to their commitment to the vision of being a top producer of high quality corn, DA-RFU 12 initiated programs and interventions as a solution to the gaps or issues which the industry is facing at present.

One of these interventions is the establishment of four village-type corn postharvest processing and trading centers in Malungon, Sarangani, Kabacan and Alamada, North Cotabato and in Banga, South Cotabato.

Through these facilities, farmers will no longer fear that their harvest will be wasted as they are now equipped with drying facilities.

Meanwhile, those farmers in the far-flung areas who cannot avail of the services of the center were given small equipment like corn mill and hammer mill. This is why these farmers are also assured that their harvest will be saved from wastage.

The DA RFU 12 also introduced cost reducing technologies in partnership with the Bureau of Soils and Water Management (BSWM), to solve the problem on high cost of production inputs.

One of those is the community-based composting facility for making organic fertilizer which include provision of shredder and promotion of vermiculture using African night crawlers. In fact, through the adoption of this intervention by the farmers, Region 12 has become the top producing region of organic fertilizer in the Philippines.

Moreover, as part of their efforts to reduce losses in corn and improve the quality of farmer's produce, they introduced good agricultural practices to farmers through information disseminations and issuance of ordinances initiated by the local government unit of Banga.

The ordinance implemented by the LGU in cooperation with DA-RFU 12 requires farmers to harvest only matured corn, otherwise the corn postharvest processing and trading center will not buy the farmers produce. Harvesting early will affect the quality of the corn especially during shelling.

Through this ordinance, corn farmers' produce will be monitored and buyers are assured of high quality corn, thus farmers will get higher income.

According to Ala, they strengthen their extension services like conduct of school-on-the-air which educate farmers through the use of radio as the medium of instruction and technology demonstrations conducted by extension workers.

The DA-RFU 12 sees to it that every part of the corn would be fully utilized in the region. Aside from marketing the corn in grains, the region has also different value-adding techniques so as to develop the corn industry.

These include processing of corn into feed-grade materials, using corn husks to produce handicrafts like bags, sandals, dolls and flowers, and producing white corn and encouraging the consumers to substitute it for rice.

These techniques will not just contribute to the development of the corn industry but also will favor the welfare of farmers as it gives good profit.

Many corn farmers are now eyeing the bright prospects of corn farming especially now that the region has four corn postharvest processing and trading center to help them.

Behind the vision and efforts

One of the driving forces in attaining the vision of the region to produce high quality corn was t former Regional Executive Director Atty. Tommy Ala, who committed his efforts to pick up scattered issues and problems, and bring it together as one solution.

Before he assumed his post as officer-in-charge of the DA-RFU 12 in 2008, he requested then Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap that he should be given enough authority in leading Region 12 and its funding should be directly given to the region to facilitate immediate processing of documents and claims of DA employees. This was granted by the former secretary.

Ala, 60, is committed to bring DA office from Cotabato to Koronadal City-the regional center of SOCSARGEN. True to this commitment, he was able to accomplish this and even include all its employees on this exodus. Later on, he became a full-pledged regional executive director of DA Region 12.

These initial steps paved the way for the Region 12 to be independent in terms of its operations and functions as a regional office of the Department of Agriculture.

"Itong Region 12, sarili na natin 'to (Region 12 is now our own)," said the proud ex-director during the victory party of the delegates of the 7th Corn Congress for bringing home the bacons.

Ala, a lawyer and a former assembly man, would want to be remembered as a director who doesn't bore himself within the four corners of his office 24/7, but one who has passion to serve the farmers and organizations by seating down with them and spending more time on fields so as to know the particular problems which DA should have to address.

In addition, He wanted to break the stereotyping against muslim leaders with his kind of leadership. "Muslim governance is always associated with corruption so I want to take exception to that impression," said Ala.

A friend after five o'clock. He knows how to socialize and consider his co workers in the DA as his friends when they are out of the office. He is humble enough to respect all insights of the people under him and initiate open communication with them.

"It’s just so happened that I am the boss, but I know there are more qualified than me in terms of seniority and credentials," he said.

Good governance and his unrelenting concern for the farmers and DA employees is what Tommy A. Ala would want to leave to his officemates and the farmers in the region.