Rice conservation mov’t brought to AgriLink 2010
The Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) took its advocacy on rice conservation to the AgriLink 2010, the country’s largest agricultural trade show, held over the weekend.
PhilRice booth highlights the Save Rice, Save Lives pledge encouraging rice consumers to commit themselves to conserve rice, and confirm their oath by inking their signature in a colored paper being placed in a rice vessel.
A commitment wall is also posted, in which rice consumers attending the exhibit will write their ways of saving rice.
“We hope that we could influence more people, especially in the urban areas, not to waste rice as their share in country’s bid to rice-self sufficiency by 2013,” Ronilo Beronio, PhilRice executive director said.
Beronio said each Filipino wastes three tablespoons of cooked rice everyday. This wastage, on the aggregate scale, translates into 480,000 tons of raw rice a year.
“If rice is not wasted, import savings can reach up to P10 billion and can feed 4.3 million hungry Filipinos in a year,” he said.
Proponents of the “Save Rice, Save Lives Movement” urge households to cook rice enough for the family and to wash rice twice to cut wastage and avoid loss of nutrients.
In a related activity, PhilRice promotes November as National Rice Awareness Month with the theme, “weRice.”
Other than conserving rice, “weRice” creates public awareness on attaining better nutrition through brown rice and helping farmers increase their income from rice farming.
These objectives are congruent with the long-term goal of PhilRice that include attaining and sustaining rice self-sufficiency and reducing poverty and malnutrition.
With the theme Good Agricultural Practices: Key to Competitiveness, AgriLink 2010 is supported by 21 major Philippine trade associations and government agencies.
The trade show aims to help agricultural producers become competitive in the world market through improved and sustainable production.*PNA
