Food security versus rice self-sufficiency: Policy lessons from the Philippines

• Main Authors: Galero, Sealtiel O., So, Steven Alfred Lee Q.
• Format: text
• Language: English
• Published: Animo Repository 2013
• Subjects: Food security > Philippines; Agriculture and state > Philippines; Economics
• Online Access: https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/etd_bachelors/5539
• Institution: De La Salle University

In the 2007-2008 rice price crises, the price of rice in the world market suddenly rose. This became a big problem for most of the developing countries, including the Philippines, because the marginalized households in these countries eat rice as their staple food. Before the crisis happened, the market was in good condition and there were no drastic changes in the consumption and production of rice. These factors would have caused the crisis instead, the government policies were the ones that contributed to the crisis. The policies of the government, such as banning exports for exporting countries and lifting tariffs for importing countries, greatly affected the international and domestic prices. In this scenario, the government plays an important role in creating and implementing policies. Various Philippine government programs like the FIELDS, Liberalization Program, FSSP (food staples sufficiency program), and AFMA (Agriculture and Fisheries Modernization Act), among others, were directed to achieve rice self-sufficiency and to achieve domestic food security. More so, the expansion of rice production and yield through the development, adaptation and implementation of advanced agricultural technologies, the reduction in rice consumption and other alternatives to diversify the Filipino rice diet to other staples (non-rice) also contribute to achieve the government's objective of rice self-sufficiency. Through a review of relevant literature and collection of secondary data from the FIES, UNCOMTRADE, USDA, BAS, DBM, Tariff Commission, FAOSTAT and IRRI the study concludes with a compilation and comparison of the objectives, weaknesses and strengths of relevant policies and an analysis on the policies that succeeded in contributing to the attainment of food self-sufficiency.