by Patricia B. Mirasol, Producer
The lack of data transparency and consolidation is hindering the price forecast of farm produce, which goes a long way into developing an efficient food system, according to Filipino scientists.
There needs to be a whole-of-government approach when it comes to food distribution and processing, said Agnes C. Rola, a National Academy of Science and Technology (NAST) academician known for her work on the link between and among agriculture, the environment, and sustainable community development.
“The first step would be strengthening that platform, so consumers, farmers, middlemen, distributors will have the data they need to decide how much of a particular crop will be produced or consumed,” she said in a July 10 interview at the sidelines of a NAST event.
This data transparency, she said, allows consumers to know how much to pay – and enables farmers to know what price to accept – for a produce.
“We don’t have that kind of information because there’s no one monitoring it,” Ms. Rola told BusinessWorld. “There are a lot of considerations in terms of what kinds of indicators we need to have an efficient food system, but for me the price information is the more important part.”
Determining what the market wants helps farmers decide on what to plant, said Junel B. Soriano, the director of the Department of Agriculture (DA)-Bureau of Agricultural Research.
“I cannot see a big challenge in terms of supply, because – as a farmer – I can easily grow any crop in my field,” he said. “For as long as I know that I can earn a better or higher income [by growing a particular crop], then I have to grow it.”
Plotting data is useful in appreciating weather conditions, which in turn plays a role in crop diversity and agricultural production.
“There are areas where we cannot grow legumes or produce vegetables,” Mr. Soriano said. “The proper positioning of crops depends on the weather, the market, and the needs of other stakeholders.”
Data-driven agriculture is likewise a component of smart farming, a management concept that uses advanced technologies (including drones, Internet of Thing sensors, and management information systems) to improve agricultural production.
Farms where the environment is controlled – such as a vertical farm within a container van – are a classic example of a smart farm, according to Elmer P. Dadios, a NAST academician and a consultant for robotics and intelligent systems.
“I propose that the DA have technicians that are knowledgeable in sharing information and training farmers on [these technologies], like for example, how to use drones,” he said in the same July 10 event.
Other stakeholders who wish to help farmers with such technologies need to be mindful of which technology suits a farmer’s needs, he told BusinessWorld.
“My advice to farmers is to not stop learning how to use these things. These technologies are there to help us,” he added.