LAGAWE, IFUGAO – – A farmers organization seeks to move its rice mill to a new location within the town of Banaue for members to operate more efficiently in the coming years.
The Tukbuban Farmers Association said it will also push for higher rice production in the future, which is now still comparatively too low.
Tukbuban Farmers Association chairperson Ana Habbiling said the organization is now operating its rice mill in a small facility at Barangay Amganad.
She said members can earn more by transferring it to a bigger facility but that needs having to buy a lot.
Habbiling said the group is still facing financial difficulties and it is not in a position to buy the said property.
The Tukbuban Farmers Association has 45 members. A member is paying a yearly due of Php 100. Most members are poor.
The Tukbuban Farmers Association was formed in 2005. It has a Department of Labor and Employment registration.
The group’s main produce is the “Tinawon” rice. It is an Ifugao rice variety raised once a year. It is commonly called traditional rice or “heirloom” rice.
“Tinawon” rice farmers have been using tedious and unorthodox practices for thousands of years now. Their reason for doing so, Habbiling shared, is cultural belief.
“Tinawon” rice production entails a six-month planting period. Farmers engage in planting vegetables such as cabbage and beans on the other six months of the year. Some others engage in other crafts to make a living.
Presently, “Tinawon” rice farmers are even saddled by irrigation problems. Appeals for the construction of communal irrigation systems are not being answered by the officialdom. So they principally rely on rain water.
Drying their palay is another major concern. Like other farmers in Ifugao, Banaue rice farmers are drying their palay on roads. Apart from being a cause of accidents, it also results in substantial losses. The Department of Agriculture has batted for the use of solar dryers. Rice exporting countries such as Thailand and Vietnam have long abandoned the outmoded and backward practice of drying palay on roads. But Banaue and the other ten towns of Ifugao have no other choice as they lack post-harvest facilities.
These are precisely the reasons why the “Tinawon” rice is not a viable and profitable crop. According to Habbiling, a major percentage of the harvest is earmarked for family consumption. “Tinawon” rice sells at Php 100 a kilo, so there are few buyers.
Difficulties faced by Ifugao farmers like these are becoming more and more commonplace due to lack of understanding and appreciation by officials in the provincial and municipal levels. Fortunately, there are leaders like Mrs. Habbiling who have had the willingness and desire to play a significant role in the battle for the promotion of the farmers’ well-being.
Habbiling added that they are looking forward to working with those in the Department of Agriculture and the Provincial Agriculture, Environment and Natural Resources officials who “really see the need to adopt policies and programs designed to improve the conditions of farmers.”** By Anthony A. Araos
