MikeLigalig.com

By Lilybeth G. Ison

The Department of Agriculture (DA) on Friday said it is putting up a "seed bank of the katutubo" (indigenous people) in the world renowned Banaue Rice Terraces in northern Philippines. 

Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala, in an exclusive interview with the Philippines News Agency, said the seed bank aims to preserve and sustain native heirloom rice varieties like "tinawon," "unoy" and "ulikan." 

"We have accomplished more than 50 percent of the rehabilitation and restoration of the rice terraces. Alongside restoring the grandeur and legacy of the rice terraces, the DA will also procure from Ifugao and other Cordillera farmers heirloom or upland rice varieties that we will maintain, purify and propagate into starter seeds. These will be used for succeeding planting seasons at the rice terraces and other upland areas in the country," he said.

Alcala said the starter seeds will be distributed free to farmers, on condition that they pay back the DA in kind, at one and a half sacks for every sack of seeds given them. 

The collected seed payments will in turn serve as buffer stock for distribution to other farmers. 

Through this program, Alcala said: "Native heirloom rice varieties are revived and sustained. We will also put up a seed bank for the katutubo to preserve their rice varieties."

He said producing heirloom rice was profitable because they were more expensive than lowland rice. This is despite the low yield of less than three tons per hectare. 

Alcala said the planned seed bank would also feature a museum on traditional rice farming and serve as an added cultural and tourist attraction in the area. 

Citing improvements in its conservation efforts, the 36th Session of the UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee on Tuesday formally removed the rice terraces from the List of World Heritage Sites in Danger. 

The committee noted that the Philippines had successfully met the desired state of conservation through successful landscape restoration and conservation, protection and planning, and proper management. 

The Banaue Rice Terraces, which was described by UNESCO as an outstanding cultural landscape and the only heritage site not made by slave labor, was placed on the list of World Heritage in Danger in 2001 "because of threats which required the development of better management and planning." 

Deforestation, climate change, and the lack of young Ifugaos willing to keep the farming tradition had threatened to destroy the terraces built some 2,000 years ago. 

The DA was tasked by President Benigno S. Aquino III to spearhead the rehabilitation and restoration of the rice terraces.   

The DA allocated P30 million for its rehabilitation and restoration to regain its status as a "Globally-Important Agricultural Heritage Systems" (GIAHS) as declared by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). 

Of the P30-million initial fund, Alcala said some P10 million from the DA’s National Irrigation Administration (NIA) would be used to repair eroded and damaged portions, and reinforce the irrigation systems of the rice terraces in Batad town. 

The remaining P20 million from the DA’s national rice program will be spent to reinforce and upgrade similar rice terraces in four other locations. These include the picturesque Banaue rice terraces that can be seen at the Dianara Viewpoint, and three other rice terraces in Mayoyao, Hapao and Kiangan. 

The plan targets the restoration of 8,700 cubic meters of eroded stone walls, rehabilitation of  2.5 kilometers of irrigation system to irrigate 106 hectares of rice paddies, reforestation of 25 hectares of watershed, increase in forest cover in 12 hectares of communal forests called  "pinugo," and improvement of 5 kilometers of farm-to-market roads. 

Alcala said the rice terraces’ restoration and upgrading plan also includes three major  components -- production, extension support, and agri-infrastructure support components.

Meanwhile, Ifugao Rep Teddy Brawner Baguilat has welcomed the decision of the UNESCO to remove the Banaue Rice Terraces from the list of endangered World Heritage Sites. 

He, however, said that the government and the Ifugao people "must not let their guard down because problems remain." 

"We still face problems like poverty that leads to the abandonment of the terraces by Ifugaos who feel they need to go elsewhere to have a better life," said Baguilat in an interview.

But, he said the Ifugao people had already taken great steps to take care of their patrimony, which is why the Ifugao Rice Terraces are now in much better shape. 

"We laud (the) Ifugaos for efforts to restore collapsed walls and preserve culture. This and assistance from national government like the Department of Agriculture and Malacanang which poured funds into repair of irrigation as well as voluntary efforts of Filipinos coming to Ifugao to do weekend restoration work helped convince World Heritage Commission to remove the Ifugao Rice Terraces from endangered list," he said. 

"But yes, we must continue efforts to preserve it because the work never ends," he said. 

Alcala assured the people of Ifugao that the government, particularly the DA, will continue with the rehabilitation and restoration of the rice terraces despite the meager funds. 

The DA chief is set to visit the Banaue Rice Terraces next month to personally check on the work accomplishment in the area.

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