What's Rice Got To Do With National Stability And Security

Friday, 01 April 2011 00:00

Written by Dr. Edna E. A. Co

Yes indeed, the question is what’s rice crisis got to do with the national security? The query grabbed the headline of the Philippine Daily Inquirer in its 12 April 2011 issue. That to me, is an intelligent question that should allow leaders particularly the President, to think thru the way ahead toward poverty reduction. But, poverty reduction is not the only goal here. By addressing rice crisis in particular and food shortage in general, the administration keeps protests and uproars at bay. Notice the serial protests in the Arab world – the protests which appear to be planned and synchronized are not just about the persistence of long standing rulers and of authoritarianism. The protests are not just about democracy in a political sense, but these are fundamentally also about democracy - the people’s economic and social rights or the lack of these. When most people do not have access to food and staples, society digs its own vulnerability. Vulnerability then contributes to discontent and if not thwarted early enough, could lead to unrest and threats to security and stability.

Still enjoying a high rate of popularity albeit declining, P’Noy should find the essential indicators of rising prices of basic commodities including oil prices on the one hand, and the shortfall in rice production and greater demand for rice imports on the other, as an invitation to review its policies and priorities. For example, although there is truth that most countries have been importing rice and that even the rice-rich countries of Indonesia, Vietnam, and Thailand, among others have massive reduction in rice production, the Philippines still needs a stock-taking as to where it sees its policies and priorities placed with regard to the agriculture sector in general, and specifically to rice production.

Prioritization and strong policy in this sector will have to revisit budget allocation, investments in terms of support for infrastructure development, and certainly, a strong leadership that should steer the sector and if necessary, forge the convergence with related sectors such as environment and natural resources, and agrarian reform. The convergence of these three sectors is not a new thing. While we are at convergence, better add the role of the National Anti- Poverty Commission (NAPC) here. However, to revisit the convergence and to put the same in its track requires a leadership that could see beyond very specific projects or pet approaches as if a non-government organization would do community-based organic rice farming. Dealing with rice crisis would certainly demand much more than organic farming or so. And of course, dealing with the rice crisis is not just offering a remedy to the food crisis – it is also a preventive measure that safeguards against instability and insecurity. Indeed, there is a big picture to the rice crisis

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