New Challenge To Agriculture Team Captain William Dar – Why Not Reboot PH Economy?!

Not wishful thinking 

but willful thinking!
In time, we will welcome in, Sir!

You were in India for 15 years as Director General of the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics, ICRISAT, so you know how the Indians think. This radical idea is from Devinder Sharma, extraordinary Indian head, heart & hands, tireless writer and worker and speaker, now referred to as the "Voice of the 99%," 69 years old, a multi-awarded journalist – see his "About Me" (Ground Reality, devinder-sharma.blogspot.com). Haha, I have only 1 award, "Outstanding Alumnus For Creative Writing" given by the UPLB Alumni Association, 2011, and next month I will be 10 years older. But I'm good, thank God, With your ICRISAT publishing 7 books of mine, thank you, I am ready to tackle the outside world even while sitting before my "PC Surround Setup" in my room at home. Happily communicating science for agriculture.

Mr Sharma says:

"Make No Mistake: Agriculture Alone Has The Potential To Reboot The Economy" (13 July 2019, National Herald, nationalheraldindia.com).

Specifically, Mr Sharma writes: "My understanding is that only agriculture can reboot the economy, sustain millions of livelihoods, and reduce global warming."

Wow! I agree 100%.

A son of a farmer who sent 2 sons to college from earnings mostly on vegetables grown on bangkag(dryland), 1965 BSA major in Ag Education from UP Los Baños, I Filipino peripatetic mind salute peripatetic Indian mind Mr Sharma as thinker and tinkerer.

We can do it, Sir! I know that in Erap's time, you were the Secretary of Agriculture who caused the highest growth in agriculture in the history of the Philippines, "a stunning 9.6%, the highest growth rate in the post-Edsa 1 period," according to Benjamin E Diokno, former Budget Secretary ("Agriculture Has Been Left Behind," `10 June 2015, BusinessWorld, bworldonline.com).

You make history again, Sir, and we would be very glad to help!

And so I say: "If we culture agriculture, we are going to be fruitful and multiply and replenish the Earth!" (Genesis 1:28, KJV).

Nonetheless, Mr Sharma disappoints me when he welcomes India giving "direct income support" to farmers, currently US$7 per month per family. Whatever the amount, I do not believe that that is a good idea for Filipino farmers. "Direct income support" is giving alms, cultivating mendicancy instead of culturing business-mindedness. Thus, we will be nurturing millions of Lazy Juans in the Philippines!

Instead, the government, with help from the private sector, must make available loans of all kinds via multi-purpose cooperatives, MPCs. Via the MPCs, we encourage entrepreneurship, as Mr Dar does. For sustainable incomes, from sustainable environments.  

Nonetheless, we must make sure each MPC is run like a business. This need I have seen as a Board Member of Asingan's Nagkaisa Multi-Purpose Cooperative for years (see my essay, "A Coop Is Born. Will Nagkaisa Wake Asingan Up?" 23 October 2012, Nagkaisa, nagkaisa.blogspot.com).

To reboot the economy, materialize and maintain millions of jobs, and reduce global warming:

Government must help village coops
help their members rise from poverty.@517

To Agri Tayo Soccsksargen, My Unsolicited Advice – PADASEM A!

On Facebook today, Thursday, 08 August 2019, I see the Soccsksargen II post titled "Priority Concerns For The 1st 100 Days Of Agriculture Secretary Dr William D Dar" that lists 14 such items. The tone of the post is this:

These are our major concerns, Mr Secretary – now they are yours! Address them all to make us happy!

Sorry, gentlemen and ladies, I know Mr Dar does not work like you want him to! He was Director General of the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics, ICRISAT, based in India, for 15 years. That was unprecedented yes; it was also unprecedented that his major manner of working with public and private individuals and institutions is, in 1 word:

Partnership.
As in, public, private, philanthropic, peasant, provincial partnerships.

That is to say, with Mr Dar, you seek first partnership so that you will know what you can demand from others, and what others can demand from you!

If you want Mr Dar as Secretary of Agriculture to help your group, you have to help yourself first!

We are all in this together. We talk and decide what to do together, not just tell each other what we expect the other side to do.

Mr Dar is Ilocano; I am Ilocano. My advice is contained in the popular Ilocano phrase, which is also a sentence: PADASEM A! literally means "Try it, please!" It is in fact an acronym:

PADASEM A!
Partner Actively with Department of Agriculture
in Socio-Economic Matters for All!

In the case of the Soccsksargen II list of 14 "Priority Concerns," their #1 is my #1 problematic:

1.  Ensure the proper and efficient implementation of the Rice Tariffication Law, particularly the management of the P10-B Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) including that of the formulation of the Rice Industry Roadmap.

Sorry, Mr Dar is notthinking priorities. And not thinking of only a Rice Industry Roadmap.

Here is Mr Dar's list given in his Press Statement last Monday:

(1)   Modernization of agriculture;

(2)   Industrialization of agriculture;

(3)   Promotion of exports;

(4)   Farm consolidation;

(5)   Roadmap development;

(6)   Infrastructure development;

(7)   Higher budget and investments for agriculture; and

(8)   Legislative support.

Mr Dar said, among other things:

We must all unite behind President Duterte to find more ways to make smallholder Filipino farmers and fisher folk more prosperous.

The Roadmap Mr Dar is talking about is the entire PH Agriculture Roadmap. This is what Mr Dar is specifically thinking about the Roadmap:

The government, through the Department of Agriculture, should take the lead in generating the "big ideas" for the Roadmap, and should solicit inputs from the private sector and other stakeholders.

While the DA takes the lead, it also encourages local stakeholders coming out with inputs, like those of Soccsksargen II talking with the local DA representatives or regional officials, not to mention private groups, deciding on any common concerns.

No single group can simply tell the Secretary of Agriculture: "Here is a list of our problems. You solve them!"

PADASEM A! should prevail always.@517

William Dar & The New Optimism For Philippine Agriculture

My favorite wit Oscar Wilde says:

Between the optimist and the pessimist
The difference is droll.
The optimist sees the doughnut;
The pessimist sees the hole!

2 Perspectives. One, "Sunset is the end of a sad day." Two, "Sunset is the beginning of a new bright tomorrow."

I am an optimist. I enjoy looking at a sunset, even while I am eagerly awaiting the new day! God willing.

Today, Manila Timescolumnist William Dar says, "There Is Hope For Philippine Agriculture" (08 August 2019, manilatimes.net). Now he is standing at the top of the tower called the Department of Agriculture, DA; today, he is the 4-day old Secretary of Agriculture, and there are plenty of days of hope to share with everyone.

Again, from Oscar Wilde:

"Success is a science; if you have the conditions, you get the result."

Mr Dar is Mr Science to me. And I know he will manage the DA to set the conditions right, to get the positive results we await!

How come I know that when Mr Dar has been Secretary of Agriculture for only 100 hours? Ah, I have known him for almost 12 years, since early 2007, when he appointed me an international consulting writer for the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics, ICRISAT. I did not know him from Adam then, but when former PhilRice Executive Director SRO asked me, "Isuratmo man met ni Willie Dar" (Please write about Willie Dar), I did – and he said thank you by enlisting me as ICRISAT writer based 4,500 km away. That's what I call long-distance optimism!

That hopeful engagement lasted until the end of December 2014, when he retired after a long 15-year Director Generalship, being DG from 2000 to 2014. That is how I know that this Team Captain brought ICRISAT from a long-drawn sunset into a bright new day, from dead last to #1 international center among the 15 international centers of the CGIAR group, which included/includes IRRI, which is based in the Philippines. From losing, he brought ICRISAT up to winning, in fact the winningest.

You cannot stop a man with the Mission of "Science with a human face."

In fact, "Science with a human face" was the Vision/Slogan of ICRISAT when Mr Dar was DG; even without declaring it, I know that is his Mission for his beloved Philippines. Take note that he founded and is President of the InangLupa Movement(logo superimposed on the image above, with his wife Betty) – InangLupa means Motherland. Instead of saying, "Goodbye, PH Agriculture!" Mr Dar is saying, "Good vibes, PH Agriculture!"

It's the positive attitude. Mr Dar is looking at the doughnut.

He says, "And now is time for all of us to take collective action for the country's agriculture sector!" He repeats that call with these words:

"What we need right now is optimism and hope that we could do something, through collective action, to level up the country's agriculture sector." To that, I say:

The future is ours to harvest – the present is ours to cultivate!@517

William Dar Is Agriculture Secretary & DA Is All Over The Place – So Is Science!

I am reading yesterday's 926-word press statement of William Dar as the new PH Secretary of Agriculture (da.gov.ph), and: 

I'm not surprised William Dar means 100% business – and 100% science.

I'm surprised there is not a single news report based on that statement!

After 24 hours, today, Wednesday, 07 August 2019 in Manila as I finalize this, there is not a singlenewspaper report on that press statement.

I'm not really surprised because science is not the cup of tea of news writers, not to mention viewsmakers. (science image from Nature, blogs.nature.com)

Inquirer. Manila Bulletin, Manila Standard, Manila Times, Philippine Star – where are you!

Not even Rappler, who should be avant-garde. I remember I applied brazenly as a columnist – they did not understand my science?

I understand. Now then, this Guru is offering to hold a 2-day weekend workshop on Grasping Science for Society, GRASS, for P10K for any number of participants in any media office. I have written 5,000 science essays in the last 12 years – you will enjoy feeding on my GRASS, or your money back if not satisfied!

Meanwhile, you media must be thinking as you always do, playing the endless game journalists play: "In your press release, give what we journalists want to hear!"

Not Mr Dar. Here is the major part of that press statement:

To realize the vision of President Duterte for a food-secure Philippines and to double the income of farmers and fisherfolk, I propose a strategy built around eight paradigms that also make up the "new thinking" for agriculture:

(1)   Modernization of agriculture;

(2)   Industrialization of agriculture;

(3)   Promotion of exports;

(4)   Farm consolidation;

(5)   Roadmap development;

(6)   Infrastructure development;

(7)   Higher budget and investments for agriculture; and

(8)   Legislative support.

Now, assuming that you understand science, how do you apply science to serve society? Like so:

Modernization of agriculture: Mr Dar asks why are 80% of farmlands devoted to only 3 crops: rice, corn and coconut? Our agriculture should be earning more from growing other crops such as cacao and coffee. Economics is a science if you did not know.

Industrialization of agriculture: I say, we must teach the farmers to become business-minded and mind their costs versus their returns.

Promotion of exports: I say, why are we not promoting abaca as export? In it, we have the strongest fiber in the world – and the weakest link in exploiting this is US.

Farm consolidation: What Mr Dar means is not big farms buying small farms, but small farms being operated as corporatives to enjoy economies of scale.

Roadmap development: I say, when you go on a journey of change, you need a New Roadmap.

Infrastructure development: I say, like we need warehouses for farmers' produce to be kept as they await better prices.

Higher budget and investments for agriculture: Mr Dar says the government must invest more in agriculture, and so must the citizens such as in agribusiness.

Legislative support:"For policy and structural reforms" in PH agriculture, Mr Dar says.

Any questions?@517

William Dar Is Bringing Home Global Vision With Science To PH Agriculture

He is someone you probablydo not know, but whom you must know. If you knew him to be soft-spoken, amiable and an Ilocano, you have to know much more!

Our new PH Secretary of Agriculture, William Dar, is new to millions of Filipinos, but not to me. I came to know him personally when former PhilRice Executive Director Santiago R Obien, SRO, another Ilocano, introduced us early 2007 at the Dars' home in Quezon City for a story I was going to write – which became a hundred stories when I, a science journalist based in the Manila, became an international consulting writer for the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics, ICRISAT, based in India. At that time, Mr Dar was on his 8th year as Director General of ICRISAT; he would go on as DG for a total of 15 uninterrupted years, unprecedented in the history of leadership of international science centers in the world.

Now look at the images (globe-eye image from Dreamstime, dreamstime.com, WDD image from YouTube, youtube.com) – my message is: Global to Digital. Today, if you cannot bring global science to the local scene, at the very least through the very personal cellphone, you have a limited vision.

On 30 December 2014, the day before Mr Dar retired as DG of ICRISAT, he launched the phablet, phone plus tablet. I will now quote from my own story ("NUNCi. The William Dar-inspired Multiplication Tablet," 31 December 2014, iCRiSAT Watch, icrisatwatch.blogspot.com):

This is the modern stone tablet of commandments that says, “Go forth & multiply!”

The news release is titled, “ICRISAT launches low-cost phablet to empower small farmers” (ANN, 30 December 2014, economictimes.indiatimes.com). Data in your hands empower you, correct, but I wouldn't call it "low-cost" because at US $299, the NUNCi will cost a farmer PhP 13,000 in the Philippines, which is a lot of money even if subsidized by the Noynoy government. The proper "economic" term is "cost-effective," which means "it's good for the money." You can easily recoup your expense if you apply the knowledge you get from it. It's farm knowledge you could recall at the touch of a finger and should bring you good income, multiplying your blessings from the land.

Note that the Economic Times of India said that ICRISAT meant for the phablet "to empower small farmers."

Now then, in agriculture, if you do not empower the small farmers, whose side are you?!

With Mr Dar and his doctorate in Horticulture from the University of the Philippines Los Baños, and his prior leaderships of the Bureau of Agricultural Research and the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic & Natural Resources Research & Development, we can be 100% sure that he is bringing science to the people, unlikeany other Secretary of Agriculture the Philippines has ever known.

There is more. From 2000 to 2014, as seen through the eyes of Mr Dar, ICRISAT had this global Vision: "Science with a human face."

If your science does not have a human phase, what good is it?!@517

For The New PH DA, Ka Willie's Advice On Corruption & My Advice On Communication

After reading my new essay on our new Secretary of Agriculture, "William Dar's New Thinking For Agriculture: Now We Aim For The Golden Age!" (06 August 2019, Creativity Works! icreativityworks.blogspot.com), Willie Buyson Villarama first says, "GURU Frank, Thank you for featuring me in your well-written blog. Dacal a salamat!!!" then to support new Secretary of Agriculture William Dar, Ka Willie mentions the article by Jeremy Williams, "I Paid A Bribe: The Wiki Approach To Fighting Corruption" (07 June 2011, The Earthbound Report, earthbound.report). It is old but it is welcome! (left image PhilStar, philstar.com, right image The Irish Times, irishtimes.com)

Mr Williams says:

The website provides people with an opportunity to anonymously report where and when they were forced to pay a bribe. For example, getting a marriage or birth certificate, passing a driving test, getting through customs or even reporting a crime to the police.

Note that ipaidabribe.com is a private initiative and a group effort, and it needs some good financing. So, people with a little cash and bigger patriotism, please answer the call for ensuring honesty in government!

With thousands of people sharing these stories of obstruction and rent-seeking, the website can collect data and identify the points in the system where bribery occurs. Corruption thrives on bureaucracy, and the more processes, the more opportunities there are for officials to solicit bribes. Without data, these bottlenecks are never identified, but Ipaidabribe shines a light on them.

We cannot reorganize the bureaucracy, but we can organize to effect good behavior within the bureaucracy! So, I'm encouraging you people with a group to mobilize for a new social-good purpose. I think one group for one PH department should be formed.

The great idea of ipaidabribe.com works on the negative to effect a positive nationally. Now then, since I am essentially a one-man band, introvert, I'm encouraging myself to work on the idea of the positive to effect a positive nationally.

I am referring to lack of general & particular sets of knowledge from science about agriculture accessible to science-minded people and at the same time interpreted so that they are understandable by non-technical people – farmers. Science should be as easy to access as typing with one finger.

When Mr Dar was Director General of ICRISAT, the slogan was "Science with a human face." Science as knowledge should be available to both the technical-minded and the practical-minded, to the schooled as well as unschooled. Science should be communicated according to the understanding of the target end-user.

Yes, Ka Willie makes it a point to point out that the idea of ipaidabribe.com came from India. It's a creative idea to solve a critical problem, and I for one admire it.

I leave you to it. I'm an agriculturist and a licensed teacher, so I will concentrate on the critical problem of farmers needing much more data & information than readily available to, and readily understandable by them.

Government must serve the people without bribery.
Science must serve the people without stupefying them.
Now!@517

William Dar's New Thinking For Agriculture: Now We Aim For The Golden Age!

The same photo (main) was sent to me today, Monday, 05 August 2019, via Facebook by SRO & Willie Villarama, President Rodrigo Roa Duterte swearing in William Dar as the new Secretary of Agriculture, after Emmanuel Piñol resigned. Mr Dar is from Luzon; Mr Piñol Mindanao. I like what SRO said, "Congratulations & best wishes." I love Willie V's comment: 

The Golden Age of Philippine Agriculture is starting soon.

That is both a statement of confidence – and a challenge!

Yes, Ka Willie, we now have a proven leader, a Team Captain – and we ought to be working as a Team, together. If you did not know, it was the leadership of Director General William Dar of the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics, ICRISAT, that led that institute from Last to First among the 15 international centers in the CGIAR group, and that includes the world-famous IRRI. ICRISAT loved him so much it did not let go of him as DG until he had to retire, after 15 years of team captainship. How do I know that? I was international consulting writer of ICRISAT in the last 8 years of Mr Dar's leadership.

"The Golden Age of Philippine Agriculture is starting soon." It only means, Ka Willie, that we have to contribute our head-heart-hands efforts for the overall achievement of that Golden Age.

On the topic of New Thinking for Agriculture right in his first column in the Manila Times (manilatimes.net), Mr Dar said:

Does the mere thought of doubling the income of smallholder farmers and fisherfolk sound too daunting or intimidating? ¶ From my standpoint, doubling the income of farmers is doable and should form the core for the "new thinking" to make the country's agriculture more productive, competitive and sustainable, and the country more food secure.

Double is Doable, Mr Dar is saying. Imagine, Ka Willie, if farmers' incomes doubled, from 100% to 200%. That indeed would be the start of the Golden Age of Philippine Agriculture!

In 2015, the average income of PH farm families was P100,000 a year, when the poverty line was P108,800 (11 April 2017, BusinessWorld, bworldonline.com). If that income jumped to P200,000 a year, we would have to say Agriculture Secretary William Dar was Heaven-sent! Not forgetting, of course, that agricultural development is not a one-man job.

Now then, I can only add to Mr Dar's New Thinking for Agriculture what I will now call New Team-Thinking for Agriculture.

When Mr Dar was DG of ICRISAT, he considered himself a Servant Leader (see my essay, "William Dar Dares. The 4 Elements of ICRISAT's Success" (04 September 2019, iCRiSAT Watch, icrisatwatch.blogspot.com), where I also said about ICRISAT the team:

When it comes to an institution, it's the team members who do make it happen – or do not. And when it comes to any team, it's the captain who leads them to victory, or defeat…

We want Victory in Philippine Agriculture, do we not? We do not want Defeat, to suffer longer.

So? Follow the Servant Leader!@517