CEBU CITY, Cebu, Nov. 24 (PIA) -- In observation of the 2022 National Rice Awareness Month, the Department of Agriculture Region 7 (DA7) encourages the public to adopt the habit of being "riceponsible" consumers.
The agriculture department urged consumers to appreciate and recognize the importance of rice and to support the country's goal of achieving rice self-sufficiency, as well as help local farmers and promote local rice.
The campaign also comes with an acronym that states alternatives that consumers can practice in order to become "riceponsible" consumers.
A - Adlai (a good substitute for white rice)
B – Brown Rice (another substitute for white rice)
K - Kanin Ay Wag Sayangin
D - Dapat Bigas Ng Pilipinas Ay Piliin
DA emphasized the importance of reducing rice consumption to help achieve the required rice sufficiency level and to support local rice produced by local rice farmers.
"Kung mogamay atong consumption sa rice dili nata mag import og daghang rice, so kung dili nata mag import og daghang rice. Chances are kining atong mga local rice mao atong pamaliton so makatabang gyud tag dako sa atong mga local farmers so ma-stable pud atong mga prices (If we lessen our rice consumption, we don’t have to import that much rice anymore. If we don’t import, chances are high we will buy local rice which will greatly help our local farmers as well as stabilize the prices,” said DA7 Chief of the Administrative & Finance Division Dr. Melquiades Ibarra during the Kapihan sa PIA on Nov. 23.
According to the DA7, Central Visayas currently has a rice sufficiency level of 25%.
In the region, Bohol has the highest rice sufficiency level with 74%, followed by Negros Oriental with 31%, Siquijor with 13%, and Cebu Province with a 2% rice sufficiency level.
They also conducted small meetings and various information drive in different local government units in the region to educate the public about their role and responsibilities in avoiding rice wastage.
Based on the data provided by DA, each person in the country wastes an average of 3.3 kilograms of rice per year. (RGC/PIA7 Cebu)
