Coupling food and energy production

Professorial Chair Lecture

Inaugural Lecture for the Felix D. Maramba Sr. Professorial Chair on Agri-Industrial Farming System

Place

Department of Agronomy, College of Agriculture, UPLB, College, Laguna

Date

6-25-1991

Abstract

The average per capita daily consumption was only 1753 kcal while the minimum basic requirement is about 1940 kcal. Energy-protein malnutrition occurred in 17.7% of pre-school children (1987).

The Philippine population increased by about 4.0 million since 1987. It cannot be denied that a population growth rate of 2.4% is generating severe population pressure threatening the country's food system resource base - agricultural land, forest, and aquatic resources. Since then also, a number of calamities/typhoons, flood, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions have occurred and adversely affected certain areas of the country.

The other dimension of the problem concerns the production orientation and the current agricultural production strategy. More than half of the direct cost of production for rice, corn, sugarcane, poultry and pork is imported. The production orientation is import-dependent because the agricultural production strategy revolves around the use of oil-based inputs (tillage equipment, fertilizers, pesticides, post-harvesting practices).

Agricultural production orientation and strategies are linked to the country's fiscal policy. As the peso value depreciates, the peso cost of production increases. This results to a "domino effect" in production, prices of commodities, and the capability of the mass of Filipinos to buy nutritionally adequate food.

Import-energy intensiveness and shrinking food system resource base in relation to food and food production systems present a more precarious situation even in the near term. Food production projections for 1991 to 1995 based from current domestic production will fall short of the recommended food requirements for rice (24%), meat/fish/poultry (16%), dried beans/nuts (85%) and fruits/vegetables (18%).

The totality of situations dictates a different production orientation and systems. The system proposed should combine the features of ecology, energy, economy, and equity (E-farm). Fortunately, visionary and mission-oriented people equipped with mental, physical and financial capabilities have "trail-blazed" alternative production systems.

Three unique cases were documented and analyzed. The first case-model (BAPAKA) is a collective effort whereby production, processing, and marketing are integrated. The management is being carried out through a cooperative. This system enables the farmers to get a fair price for their product. Corn is sold to the coop, is fed to hogs and the value added is 2.45, mungo is grown into "tauge" and the value added is 2.05-2.89. Part of the manure in swine and poultry is used for biodigestion and the biogas generated is used for brooding chicks and for cooking. The solid sludge and the rest of the manure are composted into organic fertilizer and sold to BAPAKA members at a cheaper price.

The second case-model is very well known here and abroad. The MAYA Farms of the Liberty Flour Mills Inc., is a solid proof of Filipino ingenuity in terms of entrepreneurship, creative skills and imaginative abilities. How an integrated system of production arrested the problem of pollution and produced energy for the varied energy-requiring processes and activities in the farm is fully documented. "Biogas works" the central feature of MAYA Farms, and the associated waste recycling, and energy transformation and utilization have been optimized for the last 10 years. This translates to about 4.62 million peso-worth of electricity and feeds at constant 1980 peso value.

The third case-model is not new as it is a premier industry in the country. Sugar manufacture from the sugarcane plant is a typical agro-industrial process. Among the 38 sugar centrals in the country however, only one ugar mill-Central Azucarera de Tarlac (C.A.T) has pioneered an integrated farm-mill waste recycling process. Sugarcane processing is very energy intensive. Any reduction in energy utilization may mean savings for the company and the country. For a sugar mill complete with raw bagasse is highly insufficient. Thus, as early as 1972, experiments were undertaken to generate biogas from distillery slop waste. By 1982, the bio digester ranges from 2,061 yo 2,576 li/day. Still, the fuel was insufficient. In 1986, they have started using baled sugarcane trash for fuel. Trash baling eliminated pre-harvest burning of canes. Burning of canes pollutes the air and it often results to low grade sugar and poor quality molasses. The combined use of bagasse, trash, and biogas for fuel had considerally reduced the bunker utilization of C.A.T from 30 million to 8.5 million liters. They are looking forward to reducing their oil consumption to 6.0 million liters.

There are a lot more case examples or models that can be cited. These 3 models were selected as they are unique and a number of insights can be drawn in studying their features. The BAPAKA model is an option for small scale resource scarce farmers to pool their resources and help each other. The Maya Farms is a model for livestock-centered production system while the C.A.T is for crop-centered system. While C.A.T has still much to improve in its current system, it remains to be a model for the other 38 mills in the country. The 3 models discussed approximate the key features of the alternative production strategy (the E-farm).

It is not a question of lacking in models or options for the import dependency and oil-intensiveness of our current agricultural food production system and agro-based industries. Sufficient information, technologies and experiences are available locally to propel a shift to an agro-industrial system of production. The adoption of the E-Farm concept in a given farm/production setting however, requires the following minimum conditions:

- Individual/group desire for change is evidently necessary.

- Political will on the part of the government to implement existing laws and to enact supplementary laws in certain conditions where these are needed.

- Fiscal policy re-evaluation in the light of our current production orientation and strategy as the change envisioned cannot be realized soon.

- A re-orientation of institutional efforts particularly in instruction, research and extension consistent with the dynamic needs of the changing structure and systems of agriculture.

- Government support, protection, and recognition of early initiatives, and discoveries.

Location

UPLB Main Library Special Collections Section (USCS)

College

College of Agriculture and Food Science (CAFS)

Language

English

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