Atty. Arthur C. Yap,
The global rice industry is facing a critical moment as it grapples with the effects of
export bans, logistics disruptions, climate change, and regional conflicts on rice
supply and demand. However, experts also point out the potential of agricultural
technology to boost productivity and income for rice farmers and consumers.
One of the main challenges facing the rice industry is the impact of rising global
populations and urbanization on land and water resources.
According to Atty. Arthur C. Yap, a former Department of Agriculture (DA) secretary,
in his article published in the op-ed of The Philippine Daily Inquirer on Dec. 4, 2023,
governments must prioritize and fund the conservation of water and soil resources,
and incentivize the private sector to partner with them in these efforts.
“Government cannot do this alone but must incentivize the private sector to work on
these through cost-sharing partnerships. Banks can be allowed to enroll projects like
soil conservation, impounding, and drip irrigation, as agri-agra law compliant,” Yap
wrote.
He stressed the need for more equitable land and water use regulations that balance
the realities of resource use and ownership, and for investing in better planting
techniques, postharvest, and logistics systems.
Another challenge is climate change, which is expected to significantly affect rice
production in the future. Rice is highly sensitive to climate conditions, and the
Philippines, as well as other major rice-producing countries such as India, Pakistan,
Thailand, and Vietnam, are vulnerable to the effects of tropical cyclones and El Niño
events.
The former Bohol Governor urged the rice industry to use the available technologies
to manage risks and costs, such as precision agriculture, digital agronomy, weather
intelligence, better data, and financial and insurance instruments.
“Without better risk mitigation products in public and private finance, funds will not
flow into agriculture and will keep the sector ‘high risk.’ In the Philippines, banks pay
annual penalties of more than P3 billion rather than comply with a law that obligates
them to lend 25 percent of their loanable portfolios to agriculture activities. That is a
clear indictment against the sector’s ‘bankability,'” Yap said.
A third challenge is the sustainability and environmental impacts of rice production,
which consumes a large amount of water and emits methane, a potent greenhouse
gas.
Yap, also former congressman in Bohol’s Third District, suggested that farmers
should be incentivized to use drip irrigation or laser leveling to minimize flooding of
rice fields, and to use balanced fertilization and integrated pest management
protocols.
He also called for greater access to green finance for farmers, especially as the
world met at the 28th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework
Convention on Climate Change in Dubai.
“Maximizing international collaboration is crucial for the future of the global rice
industry. As the world has broken up into multipolar clusters, there is a challenge to
engage multilateral associations at different levels, to advocate for policies that will
promote the common good. The world is so complex today. Disease and infections,
financial melt-downs or misdeeds, adventurism and aggression, trade policies like
export bans and tariffs, imposed at the local or regional levels, have a way of
affecting the family of nations eventually,” he said.
Atty. Yap pointed out the example of India, which imposed its export bans for white
rice earlier this year, causing the price of the commodity to jump up to 25 percent
and impacting the world’s poor.
“Such policies are short-sighted and detrimental to the global food security and
stability. We need to foster more cooperation and coordination among rice-producing
and consuming countries, and to adhere to the principles of free and fair trade,” he
said.
Despite these challenges, Yap highlighted the opportunities and innovations that the
rice industry can harness to improve its performance and competitiveness.
The former DA Secretary noted the examples of hybrid rice, which can increase
yields by 15 to 20 percent; biofortified rice, which can enhance the nutritional value
of rice; and gene editing, which can create new varieties of rice with desirable traits.
Yap, also a lawyer, lauded the role of IRRI, the world’s leading rice research
organization, in developing and disseminating these technologies to the rice sector.
“IRRI has been at the forefront of rice science for over 60 years, and has contributed
immensely to the food security and livelihoods of millions of rice farmers and
consumers. We look forward to more breakthroughs and collaborations from IRRI
and its partners in the coming years,” he said.