Hunger and malnutrition are some of the problems that the country continues to battle. Despite the evident need for food, study shows that food wastage is also one of the serious matters the country has to face.

Postharvest handling as one of the contributors in food losses remains a huge challenge in minimizing food wastage. Food wasted and food lost due to postharvest handling could reduce the number of the hungry and malnourished in the Philippines based on government data.

Changes in food consumption is seen to ease the growing problem in food wastage. Limiting the “unli-rice” meals in fast food restaurants has been suggested to exercise prudence. The “Be Riceponsible” campaign was launched by the Philippine Rice Research Institute with an aim to encourage people to stop wasting rice and try other varieties like brown rice or rice mixed with corn. The campaign also helps the farmers increase their produce and incomes through introduction of modern technologies that are beneficial in their livelihood. (Business Mirror)

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Rice farmers have to reduce their production cost to retain their profits. In irrigated areas of Nueva Ecija alone, labor is at 35% of the total production costs. The most costly farm activities are crop establishment, harvesting, and threshing. Adopting strategies such as direct seeding and the use of combine harvester can significantly reduce production cost at the farm level.

Transplanting requires 25 man-days (1 man-day = 8 hours of work) at P4.42/kg, while direct seeding only utilizes 2 man-days per hectare at P3.28/kg cost. Adopting direct seeding can reduce labor cost by P1.14/kg.

Harvesting is mostly done manually while threshing is mechanized using an axial-flow thresher, both needing a total of 21 man-days per hectare. Manual harvesting costs 10% of harvest; axial-flow thresher earns 7% of harvest. The total cost of these is at P2.95/kg. On the other hand, a combine harvester can harvest and thresh paddy in a single passing, needing less than 2 man-days. Combine harvester costs only 8% of output (P1.39/kg), which is P1.56/kg less. (PhilRice: Rice Science for Decision Makers)

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Refrain from burning rice straws! Doing this frequently can affect soil nutrients and make farmlands unproductive.

This practice during the harvest season reduces the soil’s nitrogen and phosphorus content by 25 percent. It likewise burns beneficial insects that kills the harmful ones which destroy the palay resulting in low production. Burning rice straws also produces carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, and sulphur dioxide which causes air pollution.

Instead of burning them, rice straws can be utilized for other agricultural practices. Farmers can use rice straws as organic fertilizer. When scattered in the field during land preparation, nutrients and moisture in the soil are maintained. These can also be used as mulch to protect the roots of the plants from heat and cold, preventing weeds from growing in the paddy.

Also, rice straws can be used as a primary material for mushroom production and fodder for buffalo and cattle production. (Philippine Rice Research Institute)

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Eggshells contain a generous amount of calcium and other minerals which make it a good organic fertilizer. Powdered eggshells are best applied to fruit trees, potted plants, and garden plants. It is effectively used to eliminate calcium deficiency that brings physiological disorders to plants – tip born, cavity spot, stunted growth, and blossom end rot. It may also act as a soil amendment that increase the pH and calcium of soil. (S.B.Murali )

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