Skip to main content

The IRRI That Was/Is Misunderstood

No, I am not an un/known paid apologist of the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), but I am an agriculturist, UP Los Baños, and a writer, creative and critical – you have to appreciate being Critical before you can achieve the genius level of being Creative. And practice makes perfect, so!

The top image says, “IRRI: The Miracle That Never Was & Never Will Be,” a Facebook sharing by a group (never mind who). Here is its list of “Little-Known Truths About How IRRI Harms Filipino Rice Farmers” –

1: IRRI ignores the effectiveness of the peasant-oriented approach to growing food.
2: IRRI ignores the cries for justice of its workers and peasants whose rights it violated.
3: IRRI undermines self-sustaining peasant farming.
4: IRRI’s Green Revolution model is now being decried worldwide as it worsens the climate crisis.

Peasant-oriented approach to growing food?

Whatever it is or how it is carried out, sorry, but that “peasant-oriented approach” has failed to banish poverty among the farmers who do not know how to properly apply technology for farming.

Justice For IRRI Workers & Peasants?

Since 1959, when I was Freshman at UP Los Baños, I have been in and out of the campus, and I never heard, even whispered about IRRI abusing or not treating its employees right.

Personally, I see IRRI is not that brave. In 1980, I actually applied for a position in its Information Division – and I aced the Aptitude Test! What happened? IRRI was afraid of my genius.

3: Self-Sustaining Peasant Farming?

I happen to be the son of a not-so-poor farmer, so I know that our poor farmers do not know about self-sustaining farming – they are always the losers in the bargain! They are not entrepreneurial. They do not look at it as a business, which it is.

The farmers have to learn to mind their own business!

4: IRRI’s Green Revolution Worsening Climate Change?

To this I will have to agree 100% – but first, I must explain that in fact it was our President Ferdinand “FM” Marcos who declared the Green Revolution based on IRRI’s so-called Miracle Rice (IR8).

Yes, since there are millions of hectares of ricefields all over the world, they must be the source of nitrous oxide, the deadliest climate change gas the world has known. And that exactly is why we need the New Thinking for Agriculture that Secretary of Agriculture William Dar brought in with him when he was appointed 05 August 2019.

That must-remain-unknown group argues that “IRRI is implicated in the harsh realities plaguing the rice sector: poor, debt-ridden rice farmers, supply shortages, an overdependence on imports, poisoned environment, and health.” No, it’s not IRRI who is at fault; who is guilty is more our local government leadership who does not understand or appreciate how farmers remain poor – they like to borrow a fast P5 and pay a fat P6! And the Merchants of Venice take advantage of them almost always.

“How could a supposedly premier rice institution fail so spectacularly in its promise?” No, IRRI never promised You a Rose Garden!@517

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Historical PH 1st Holy Mass: Mazaua Or Limasawa? Fr Amalla Vs Maria Serena Diokno Vs Ambeth Ocampo – And The Priest Is Right!

We Filipinos celebrate 500 years of Christianity today Wednesday, 31 March 2021, Christianity brought to pagans by Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan sailing the seas for Spain. The historical question is: Where was the first Holy Mass celebrated: “Limasawa” (in Leyte) or “Mazaua” (in Butuan)? Catholic priest Fr Joesilo C Amalla has just published the book (above), An Island They Called Mazaua, that argues the island of “Mazaua” in Butuan is the “true site of first Holy Mass in the Philippines [1] ”  and not “Limasawa” in Leyte (ANN, 07 January 2021, Manila Times ). The declaration and discussion are made by Butuan-based Fr Amalla in his 644-page book. Among other things, he writes: The truth is that the prevailing state- and church-affirmation and multiple reaffirmations of the island of Limasawa as the site of that first Holy Mass have no factual, historical and geographic (bases) whatsoever nor any shred of evidentiary support from cartographic studies, navigational info...
Post a Comment
Read more

The PhilRice Drum Seeder Looked Good In April 2018 – Where Is It Now?

Above, top image, the Antique ricefield looks very promising in yield. Here is the story as shared on Facebook by PhilRice (my translation in English): TINGNAN! Unang palayan sa Sta. Ana, Tibiao, Antique na natamnan ng 60kg binhi kada ektarya sa pamamagitan ng sabog-tanim. Look! First ricefield in Santa Ana, Tibiao, Antique that was planted with 60 kg seeds per hectare by way of broadcasting. Sa kauna-unahang pagkakataon, natunghayan ng mga magsasaka sa nasabing lugar na kayang-kaya ang 60kg kada ektarya gamit ang seed spreader machine (granular applicator) at certified seeds mula sa RCEF. For the first time ever, farmers in that area witnessed that 60 kg/ha is quite enough using a seed spreader machine (granular applicator) and certified seeds from RCEF. Makikita sa larawan na magaganda ang naging tubo at mabubulas ang mga itinanim na palay. What can be seen in the picture is beautiful growth of and robust rice plants. Ayon sa ulat, namangha ang mga magsasaka rito na kay...
Post a Comment
Read more

02, Less Is More – SCUs Or Not, Students Will Learn More If They Were Taught Less!

This is a teacher speaking – one with an open mind and open notes of knowledge gathered from googling. I’m saying after observing education via secondhand news, from Argentina to England to the Philippines, in schools or in homes, in private schools or SCUs: Students are taught facts – which is unmindful teaching! Facebook sharing: In the Philippines, Mila Concepcion (not her real name) is saying, “I have declined to teach in 3 universities where I (taught) before the pandemic, because I am not sure I will be as effective as in the traditional face-to-face-interaction in class.” Ms Concepcion typifies teachers who think teaching is imparting knowledge 100%. Ms Concepcion, hindi ka nag-iisa. You are not alone; there are millions and millions of you. Here’s news for everyone! “Educators Around World Seek To Take Axe To Exam-Based Learning [1] ,”  says Bethan Staton (23 January 2021, Financial Times ). Her lead sentence is: “Covid era prompts push to ditch one-size-fits-all approa...
Post a Comment
Read more